Scotland manager Steve Clarke has admitted he was unaware that his squad was sharing a Glasgow hotel with pop superstar Katy Perry this week, as the singer's Lifetimes tour stopped in the city. When asked about Perry's presence, Clarke said: “Was she? I didn't know she was there. I've heard the name and I'm sure if you played me a couple of her songs I'd say: 'I recognise that one.' But I couldn't name you one of her songs.” The 62-year-old laughed off suggestions he would recognise the star, adding: “Eh, no. And she wouldn't recognise me.”
Clarke's focus remains firmly on Thursday's World Cup qualifier against Greece at Hampden Park, followed by a visit from Belarus on Sunday. Scotland have four points from their opening two qualifiers, and Clarke stressed the importance of building on that start. “The players understand that every game in a qualification process is important,” he said. “We managed to pick up four points in the two away games last month and we hope to pick up as many as we can this month.”
The build-up has been overshadowed by domestic club matters, including Rangers' sacking of Russell Martin and Steven Gerrard's potential return to Ibrox, as well as off-field issues at Celtic. Clarke acknowledged the unusual backdrop: “I do glance through the headlines sometimes and it's been strange in the buildup to such a big game that the national team has not been the main headline. But listen, that's the nature of football in Scotland.”
The Greece match will see Clarke equal the late Craig Brown's record of 71 games in charge of Scotland. However, the manager played down the personal milestone. “I haven't really thought about it, to be honest,” he said. “Having had a half-decent career as a player and a half-decent career up to now as a manager ... I don't think I'm finished yet. Let me finish and then look back.”
Greece arrive in confident mood after a 3-0 Nations League win at Hampden in March. Clarke acknowledged that defeat stung, saying: “The players did not quite hit the heights that they had before. So if this is a chance to make amends, hopefully that is what we do.”
