Steve Clarke says Scotland stand-ins can make themselves 'undroppable' with Nations League victories

Scotland manager Steve Clarke during a Scotland training session at the Oriam on October 10, 2020. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

Steve Clarke has praised the players who came to Scotland's rescue and helped put the national side within touching distance of Euro 2020.

Scotland lost six key personnel on the eve of Thursday's play-off semi-final against Israel at Hampden, three of them - Stuart Armstrong, Kieran Tierney and Ryan Christie - due to unforeseen Covid-19 protocols, forcing Clarke into last-minute changes to his starting line-up for the country's biggest match in years.

It was hardly the ideal preparation but it was a challenge that Clarke and his reshuffled pack overcame, albeit after an anxiety-laden 90 minutes, extra-time and penalty shoot-out, to set up a winner-takes-all tie against Serbia next month.

“Last week was certainly unique for me as a manager," Clarke said. “With the global pandemic you know that the virus could strike at any time so you've always got it at the back of your mind.