SCOTLAND are in "good hands for many a year" under the charge of head coach Steve Clarke, who is doing a "brilliant job".

That's the view of former Pars strike star, Stevie Crawford, who spoke of his admiration for the job the national team boss is doing ahead of leading them to a second successive European Championships.

On Friday the Scots kick off the tournament against hosts, Germany, in Munich, before taking on Switzerland and Hungary in Group A.

They are aiming to become the first Scottish side to progress from the group stage of a major competition and Crawford, who won 25 caps between 1995 and 2004, said: "Steve Clarke knows his squad better than anybody, him and John Carver (Clarke's assistant). I think they've done a brilliant job.

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"You can look at the last eight games and go 'have we come off the boil a wee bit'?

"Me, on that side, and being naive to what's going on in the Scotland squad, you start off the season flying as a football player.

"As the season progresses, football players pick up knocks, they pick up injuries, they get more tired, there's more pressure, there's more strain as the season goes on.

"It's not so much a coincidence that Scotland, as the season's progressed, the results have teetered off a wee bit.

"That's not to say we accept it, and Steve Clarke will not accept that. He wants to compete in every game.

"I just think that wee spell where we've maybe not won as many games, you've got to remember and look at the form we hit before.

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"The reality is I think we're sitting just inside the top 40. The three teams that we're playing are above us in the international rankings.

"That doesn't mean that we can't beat those teams. Steve and John, I've got a lot of admiration for what they've done, not just with Scotland, but the way their careers as coaches and managers have progressed.

"They didn't just land this job. They went and educated themselves on the coaching and managing side, and I think we're in good hands for many a year going forward."

* Scotland's matches at Euro 2024 against Germany, Switzerland and Hungary will be screened at Dunfermline City Fan Zone, at KDM Group East End Park.

For tickets, visit https://dunfermlinecityfanzone.com/.