We Can Boogie: Steve Clarke’s Scotland Football Revival

Steve Clarke has led Scotland to success after a long time in the wilderness, with Euro 2024 representing a major milestone. This book looks behind the scenes of Scotland's remarkable rise and tells the story of the man who has led the revival.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 06 June 2024
Publisher: Birlinn General

Twenty-three long years,276 torturous months,1,196 despairing weeks – it's a long time in the wilderness. The Tartan Army, Scotland's national football team, had been struggling for years to find success on the international stage. After a series of high-profile appointments and failed campaigns, the team was in disarray, with fans losing faith and the media questioning the team's future.

However, everything changed when former Chelsea stalwart Steve Clarke was appointed as the team's manager in 2019. Clarke faced an enormous challenge, but under his leadership, the Tartan Army began to turn things around. With the experience of Euro 2020 under his belt and time spent moulding a team capable of going toe to toe with the world's finest, Euro 2024 represents another major milestone for Scotland.

This book looks behind the scenes of Scotland's remarkable rise and tells the story of the man who has led the revival. Former teammates and coaching colleagues lend their voices alongside an all-star cast of past and present Hampden favourites in a tale of triumph and hope.

Clarke's appointment was met with a mixture of excitement and skepticism from the Scottish public. Many were skeptical of his ability to turn around the team's fortunes, given his lack of experience in international management. However, Clarke's calm and confident demeanor quickly won over the fans, and he began to implement his vision for the team.

One of Clarke's key strategies was to focus on developing young talent. He brought in a number of promising young players from the Scottish Premier League, including Ryan Christie, John McGinn, and Kieran Tierney. He also gave opportunities to players who had been overlooked by previous managers, such as Callum McGregor and Stuart Armstrong.

Clarke's approach paid off, as Scotland began to perform better on the international stage. The team qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, their first major tournament in over 20 years. In the tournament, Scotland impressed with their performances, drawing with England and Croatia and narrowly losing to France in the round of 16.

Clarke's success has not gone unnoticed by the football world. He has been praised for his tactical knowledge, his ability to inspire his players, and his commitment to developing young talent. He has also been recognized for his role in promoting diversity and inclusion in football, with Scotland becoming one of the most diverse teams in the world.

In conclusion, the past 23 years have been a difficult period for the Tartan Army, but under Steve Clarke's leadership, Scotland has emerged as a force to be reckoned with on the international stage. This book looks behind the scenes of Scotland's remarkable rise and tells the story of the man who has led the revival. With the experience of Euro 2024 under his belt and time spent moulding a team capable of going toe to toe with the world's finest, the future looks bright for Scotland's national football team.

Weight: 308g
Dimension: 136 x 215 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781913759186