One hundred and 7 days on and we’re nonetheless pinching ourselves. It wasn’t a dream. Scotland are going to the World Cup.
And 100 days from now, they may finish their 28-year wait and kick a ball on the most important stage of all as soon as once more towards Haiti on Sunday, 14 June, 02:00 BST – dwell on the BBC.
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As the clock counts down, issues have change into just a little extra actual. But solely a wee bit.
Scouting experiences of stars from Brazil, Morocco and Haiti are being rapidly fired round group chats, Steve Clarke has sorted his Scotland squad’s base camp in Charlotte and the Tartan Army know they will don their sporrans in stadiums stateside.
But there are nonetheless plenty of questions dealing with the top coach with 100 days to go. Here, BBC Scotland takes a take a look at a few of them.
Who’s a goer in targets?
As has been the case of late, Scotland are struggling from one thing of a goalkeeper disaster.
Craig Gordon was heroic between the sticks again in November, regardless of conceding three targets in Athens and two towards the Danes at Hampden.
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However, the 43-year-old has been all-but ruled out of this month’s friendlies towards Japan and Ivory Coast with a shoulder damage.
The Hearts goalkeeper has missed the Scottish Premiership leaders’ final two matches, having sat on the bench for the 4 continuing video games.
That’s additionally the place Angus Gunn has been spending his time lately. Although it’s an enchancment given he missed 10 Premier League matchday squads for Nottingham Forest both aspect of a knee damage in November and December.
Liam Kelly has stored two clear sheets in his two video games for Rangers since Scotland certified for the World Cup (each within the Scottish Cup), whereas Falkirk’s Scott Bain stays the one goalkeeper Clarke has lately included in his squads to be taking part in common soccer.
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The 34-year-old told BBC Scotland earlier this week he’s “really hopeful” of being concerned on this month’s camp, which may play a pivotal half in realising his dream of being on the event this summer time.
Who may make a late run?
It will have to be a fairly first rate run to catch the attention of the fiercely loyal Clarke, thoughts you.
For Euro 2024, Celtic winger James Forrest timed his upturn in kind to perfection and made the airplane to Germany, whereas Bristol City defender Ross McCrorie was the one uncapped participant there.
Ryan Jack was one thing of an outsider, given his lack of sport time at Rangers, however the midfielder had lengthy been one in all Clarke’s trusted servants.
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Current Bournemouth winger Ben Gannon-Doak, then uncapped, was named within the squad, however was compelled out resulting from damage.
Other than that, many would have been capable of title Clarke’s squad comfortably. Nothing an excessive amount of has modified since then, with the top coach seldom shaking up his squad.
He does nonetheless typically shock us – and has beforehand stated “there’s always room for an outsider” – and this month’s double-header may permit for a shock inclusion or two since there are just a few regulars battling damage.
Former Scotland supervisor Gordon Strachan has called for Oli McBurnie to be concerned. The 29-year-old Hull City striker, who final appeared for his nation 5 years in the past, has 13 targets in 21 Championship video games this time period.
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Further again, Stephen O’Donnell has made a case for a recall together with his high quality kind at high-flying Motherwell. And the 33-year-old is not the one Steelman concerned within the dialog amongst punters, with uncapped Stephen Welsh and one-time cap Paul McGinn additionally being touted.
All three have performed a pivotal position within the Fir Park aspect’s unimaginable defensive file – conceding simply 18 targets in 28 video games – this season. It’s top-of-the-line in Europe.
Another aspect making folks sit up throughout the continent are Heart of Midlothian, with Harry Milne one of many Premiership leaders’ standout performers.
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However, left-back is an space the Scots are fairly blessed in, with Clarke having known as on Sassuolo’s Josh Doig lately to cowl Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney and Aaron Hickey.
What’s happening with the preparations?
While the squad choice may be very a lot within the head coach’s fingers, there are some things exterior his management inflicting a little bit of a stir.
Most notably, the dispute between Foxborough city chiefs – the place the Gillette Stadium, which is because of host Scotland’s first two group video games towards Haiti and Morocco, is situated – and people answerable for safety funding over a reported shortfall.
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However, Massachusetts governor Maura Healey insisted “the World Cup is going to happen”.
“It is going to be in Massachusetts,” she stated. “It’s going to be great to have people come from all over the world and see our awesome state.”
Another state Scots will see is New Jersey. There’s just a bit uncertainty over the opposition.
Although it was not formally introduced, it was understood Scotland’s remaining pre-tournament pleasant was to be towards Peru.
However, it appears Spain will now play Peru, forcing the Scots to seek out one other opponent for the fixture on 6 June.
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Clarke expressed his want to face a South American nation and Venezuela have been broadly linked because the replacements.
There may even be a brand new face reverse Clarke for Scotland’s second match on the finals, within the type of Mohamed Ouahbi, after Morocco parted ways with head coach Walid Regragui on Thursday.
The 50-year-old led them to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup – the primary African aspect to achieve that stage of the event – and to the ultimate of this 12 months’s Africa Cup of Nation, which was held in Morocco.
Senegal prevailed in a chaotic and controversial showpiece, in what proved to be Regragui’s remaining sport in cost.