#Football news: Steve Clarke admits Scotland’s hopes of automatic qualification are ‘over’"

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Football news: Steve Clarke admits Scotland’s hopes of automatic qualification are ‘over’

& # 39; It doesn't look good & # 39 ;: Steve Clarke admits Scotland's hope for automatic qualification is over after being beaten by Belgium

Monday's loss was the toughest home team ever defeat

Romelu Lukaku, Thomas Vermaelen and Toby Alderweireld all scored for visitors

Kevin De Bruyne consigned Steve Clarke & # 39; s third Scots carried Steve Clarke & # 39; s Sorry Scots to a Straight Defeat

Against Stephen Mcgowan for MailOnline

Published: 23:34 BST, September 9, 2019 | Updated: 23:34 BST, 9 September 2019

Steve Clarke recognizes the hope of automatic qualification for the Euro 2020

The toughest home qualification of the national team ever saw Clarke & # 39; s side torn apart by the best ranked team in the world.

finals are past & # 39; past & # 39; after a 4-0 hit by Belgium.

Goals of Romelu Lukaku Thomas Vermaelen, Toby Alderweireld and the Peerless Kevin De Bruyne sent Clarke & # 39; s Sorry Scots for a third straight qualification loss.

Steve Clarke admits that Scotland hopes for automatic qualifications for Euro 2020 to be & # 39; about

Nine points behind in second place with four games to play a point for Russia in Moscow next month will make the task of qualifying mathematically impossible.

The Scots dropped to fifth place in Group I thanks to Cyprus winning from San Marino

Clarke turned to third place next year in preparation for the safety net of play-offs of the Nations League and admitted: "The group is over in terms of qualification. What we have to do now, and we talked about it after the game's goal is third position.

& # 39; It doesn't look very good where we are now There are 12 points to grab between now and the end of this qualifying campaign and we need to make sure that we finish third in the group.

& # 39; It's good for us in terms of ranking and seedings and also if you finish third in the group this means that we have performed well and have won a few games and have accumulated points, which should give us confidence to go to the play-off games in March to go. "After the daunting journey of the next month to Russia comes a home match against San Marino in Hampden.

With apathy growing around the national team, the immediate task is to restore some faith and confidence to the playoffs.

"I have to build anyway," Clarke added. I am four games in my tenure. I do not like to lose games, I do not like to lose games heavily, so we must try to tackle that in the next four games.

Kevin De Bruyne celebrates during Belgium's victory over Scotland at Hampden Park

& # 39; It's not always about building. I am not going to experiment in the following four games. I don't have to experiment, I have to work with the players at my disposal and I have to make ourselves better and more defensible.

& # 39; First of all, you have to tackle the result – 4- 0 is not a good score.

"From three sets we came to rest at 3-0 after having played good football in the first half.

" Even at 1 -0, we didn't buckle. We stayed strong in the game, trying to continue the press and move the ball.

& # 39; But it is very difficult to try to sell positives if you lose 4-0 at home. & # 39; "Now we have to make sure that we improve defensively, because we have to defend one against Cyprus, three in Belgium, two at home in Russia and another four tonight. We must continue to work on the path that leads us to the Euro 2020 qualification That will be the play-off route and we have to embrace that. "The perseverance of Scotland is heading in the right direction despite another crushing defeat against Belgian boss Roberto Martinez called on Clarke to gain time and patience.

& # 39; International football is about having a long-term plan and this group of players has the talent and desire to play for Scotland. Steve Clarke works wonders with a group of players he only sees for three or four days

& # 39; It is very clear to see that there are positive signals. Six players now start in Premier League matches, three in the top six. is very difficult to get players in the top six. This is a long-term plan for Scottish football if everyone is patient. & # 39;

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