'If they can't beat Greece...': 26-cap Scotland hero calls for Steve Clarke to make bold starting XI decision

Level on points with Denmark heading into the game, Scotland have already secured a playoff spot, but have a golden opportunity to end their 28-year exile and qualify for the World Cup this week automatically if they avoid defeat to Greece on Saturday, and set up a straight shootout with Brian Riemer’s side at Hampden Park next Tuesday.

Hutchison, who earned 26 caps for Scotland and famously scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over England at Wembley in 1999, has urged Scotland to take the bull by the horns, believing they won’t deserve the automatic qualification if they go to Piraeus with the mindset that a draw is enough.

“They need to beat Greece and then Denmark,” insisted Hutchison. “You can't get by on a draw. They're going to have to win both, and there's no reason why they can't. It's just necessary to get this first one out the way. But I think they can do it. If they can't beat Greece they don't deserve to be going up in the number one position, and they can't anyway. So it's actually black and white. It's right in front of Steve Clarke. So go and do it.”

The former Everton and Sunderland midfielder has also called on Clarke to make a bold selection call by dropping one of his most in-form players in Che Adams. The Torino hitman has five goals in his last five games for the national team, but the 54-year-old has suggested he should be relegated to the substitutes' bench for the forthcoming games against Greece and Denmark.

“He's effective at what he does,” Hutchison told Sportscasting.com. “But with all due respect, I think he's a very hard worker, which is a good attribute to have. He's very quick. But if you're looking at finishers, [Lawrence] Shankland’s a better finisher. He's a better number nine. In my opinion, I would be tempted if I was Steve Clark to start Shankland.

“The other option is you could play Adams from the start and ask him to try and run in behind and get momentum in the game, tire defenders out. For Shankland to come on, but I would just go the other way. I would start Shankland, playing from the start, get the goals early and try to kill the game as quickly as possible.

“Scottish football needs a massive lift. The job Derek McInnes is doing at Hearts is just phenomenal. Celtic are doing really poorly this year, and I think that the anger comes from the fans to the board, not the fans to the manager. It's like the league needs to start finding better players. That league needs to improve the standards right across the board, and Steve Clarke getting Scotland to a World cup will definitely give the nation a lift, 100%.”

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