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How does the future look for Scotland? It’s a question that is sure to be on the minds of the Tartan Army this week amid the worst ever run of competitive results in the history of the national side.
Steve Clarke has led Scotland to back-to-back European Championships - ending a 23-year wait for a major finals appearance in the process - but a sequence of three draws and five defeats over the last eight competitive matches has erased much of the positive vibes and raised question marks over his tenure.
The performances in the defeats to Poland and Portugal were more encouraging than the lacklustre showing the team produced at Euro 2024, but something has to change if Scotland are to get back to winning ways.
Scotland still have to negotiate their way through the remainder of a tough Nations League group, which also includes Croatia, before embarking on another World Cup qualification campaign for the tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico in 2026.
Clarke has stated that it is unlikely he will remain in post beyond those finals - whether Scotland qualify or not - meaning that a new manager could be at the helm by the time Euro 2028 comes around, with the tournament being jointly hosted by the home nations.
What sort of squad will a future Scotland manager have at his disposal? What could the 24-man pool look like five years down the line? One thing is for sure, there will be new faces with a number retirements from the current squad likely by 2029. Andy Robertson, Zander Clark, Kenny McLean and Grant Hanley will all be nearer 40 than 30 and will likely have hung up their Scotland jerseys by then.
Who are the next generation of talent coming through to replace them? Are there any Scotland Under-21 prospects capable of making the step up. Ben Doak earned his first senior caps off the bench over the past week and others are sure to follow in the years to come.
Here is how we predict a 24-man Scotland squad might look five years down the line with three goalkeepers, nine defenders, eight midfielders and four strikers ...
13. Billy Gilmour - midfielder
The 23-year-old is already a linchpin of the Scotland midfield and will likely continue to be for the best part of the next decade. A move to Napoli from Brighton this summer could even see the former Chelsea youngster take his game to the next level as he embarks on a new career in Serie A. An exciting prospect for Scotland fans who are already used to seeing high quality performances from the Ardrossan man. | Getty Images
14. John McGinn - midfielder
The Aston Villa captain will be the elder statesman of the squad in five years time as he hits 34. Will be approaching the end of his international career but, given his immense contribution over his 71 caps to date, it would be no surprise if he is still starting for his country in 2029. He will also be aiming to move up the all-time scoring chart, where he is currently sixth on 18 goals, one behind Ally McCoist, and 12 behind joint leaders Denis Law and Kenny Dalglish. | SNS Group
15. Lewis Ferguson - midfielder
It's crazy to think that the Bologna captain turned 25 this summer but still only has two Scotland starts among 12 caps. Criminally under utilised by Steve Clarke, it seems certain that the former Aberdeen midfielder will become more integral for the national side in the coming years, providing he makes a full recovery from the ACL injury that ruled him out of the Euros. By the time he turns 30, we reckon his starts-to-caps ratio will have significantly improved. | Getty Images
16. Scott McTominay - midfield
The star man of the current side - with 10 goals in his last 17 caps - will be pivotal to anything Scotland achieve in the coming years. Will be a seasoned Serie A campaigner by the time he hits his early 30s assuming his move from Manchester United to Napoli goes well. Having both McTominay and Gilmour in the same club side at such a high level can only bring benefits to the national team in the future. | Getty Images