Gers coach on Clarke's tactics after Scotland 'fell apart' v Greece, he knows who is to blame
03/26/2025 08:33 AM
Barry Ferguson might've hauled Billy Dodds off BBC Sport punditry duties to join his backroom staff at Rangers.
But the former Ibrox striker was back behind the mic for the nation's double-header with Greece in the UEFA Nations League during the March international break.
Billy Dodds is most remembered for his time with Rangers and playing with the Scotland National Team, the former Dundee United striker making 26 appearances and scoring seven goals for his country.
But now the former Inverness manager is back at Ibrox in a coaching capacity.
The interim Rangers staffer is making an impact too; Dodds was hailed for his set-piece coaching after Nicolas Raskin opened the scoring in the 3-2 win at Celtic Park, so he knows a thing or two about tactics.
Speaking after Scotland were humiliated at home to Greece in the second leg of the Nations League tie, resulting in the country being relegated to Group B, Dodds has taken aim at several in the Scotland number.
The former Rangers hitman has also offered a subtle defence of under pressure manager Steve Clarke with the knives being sharpened at Hampden.
Billy Dodds scolds Scotland performance v Greece
Speaking on the BBC Scottish Football podcast, Dodds was asked if Steve Clarke got his tactics wrong in Scotland's defeat to Greece.
The former Kilmarnock manager is under mounting pressure at Hampden after the defeat, Scotland having recently ended a run of one win in 15 games with victory over Croatia in November.
Scotland were given the run-around by a superior Greece side with Rangers star John Souttar helping to keep it at 3-0.
But whilst Clarke is under the microscope in Scotland, a recent poll by leading Scottish football forum Pie and Bovril exemplifying the appetite for change, Dodds reckons it's the players who have to take responsibility.
"I don't think tactically because it's the same shape that got us the victory in Greece," said Dodds.
"I think individually we didn't do the right things. We started OK. Looked a threat.
"But I did warn you about when we were building from the back we looked as if we were giving away possession.
"They chipped away at us and then they were brutally ruthless and then when they were that, we fell apart, simple as that."
Despite Dodds' defence of Clarke's tactics, the interim Rangers coach would claim that the match's circumstances resulted in the team's collapse.
With Scotland chasing the win, Clarke opted to put more forwards on the pitch with the resultant shape 'food and drink' to a well-drilled and talented Greece team.
"We had a lot of forwards on the pitch but we had to play direct because we'd taken all of our midfielders out and put them in our frontline," said Dodds.
"We tried to go direct and that was food and drink to them.
"So it was just how the game progressed and played out. They got it absolutely spot on. Their tactics, they got their goal and then that made us more open.
"Then they got their second; we wanted them in at half-time we couldn't even get that. Then we gave the ball away and they punished again and it just went from bad to worse.
"We did fall apart during the game in terms of personnel, what we had to go with coming in the latter stages of the game. It's not the formations we want to play, it was like a 4-2-4 at times.
"The forwards were centre-forwards playing in wide areas and it just didn't work and they were loving it and they deserved their win. They killed us when they got their opportunities and we couldn't handle it."
Steve Clarke hints at Scotland exit
Steve Clarke hasn't always had the most positive relationship with Rangers or the club's fans and the Scotland manager stands on the brink of stepping down.
Having led Scotland to back-to-back European Championships, Clarke deserves credit for delivering a major tournament when so many others before him have failed.
The former Chelsea coach has probably earned the opportunity to lead Scotland into the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, but Clarke himself admits it's likely he'll step down after the tournament.
“If we have a fantastic year and get to the World Cup and do well at the World Cup, maybe somebody will persuade me to stay,” Clarke said earlier in the March (BBC Sport).
“But at this moment in time, I’m happy to run my contract down.
“I want to go to America, that’s the bottom line. I want to help this group of players to get to the World Cup in America.
“I’ve still got 10 big games this year to determine my future moving forward.
“Whether I stay here or whether I go somewhere else, the next year can determine my future.”
Earlier Clarke had said: "I’ll go on percentage – 75% (sure I will leave)."
