Speaking before EURO 2020, Scottish midfielder Stuart Armstrong revealed that the national team line-up is similar to being in Southampton.
Armstrong joined the Premier League team Southampton in 2018, about a year after making his international debut, and has scored 14 goals in 104 appearances for the South Coast outfit.
Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has earned a lot of admirers for his expansive and sometimes explosive style of play. Southampton finished 15th in the Premier League in the 2020/21 season.
International chief Clarke has revived Scotland’s fortunes. After not qualifying for an international tournament since the 1998 World Cup, they beat Israel and Serbia in a series of penalties to qualify for EURO 2020.
Speaking about the two bosses, Armstrong told UEFA: “I think a lot of bosses are different and they all have different ideas and ways of training and approaching games. I think the environment that the boss created here is … it’s a continuation of the club football, it’s the knowledge of what we do when we come here.Everyone knows the system.
Stuart Armstrong and Ralph Hasenhuttl with Southampton / Mike Hewitt / Getty Images
“Everyone knows how to fit in and adapt to the system and the job they get when they enter that system. So there’s a lot of clarity about how we play and how we approach the games, and I think it helps a lot when you are entering a new environment. “
Scotland is facing a battle to qualify for the knockout stages of EURO 2020 after losing to the Czech Republic and drawing with England. With just one point so far, the Scots must beat Croatia on Tuesday and hope that four points will be good enough to see them qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
