Scotland secured a crucial 2-1 victory against Belarus in their World Cup qualifying match, but manager Steve Clarke was far from celebratory, expressing profound disappointment with the team's performance. Despite goals from Che Adams and Scott McTominay securing the win, Clarke described the showing as the most disappointed he has been in his 72 games as national team manager.

"I'm really disappointed - really, really disappointed," Clarke stated. "It's possibly as disappointed as I've been over the whole 72 games. We just didn't turn up".

The victory keeps Scotland's World Cup hopes alive, with 10 points from a possible 12 in the qualifying campaign. However, the manner of the win did little to appease Clarke, who felt the team's performance was "way below par". He acknowledged the importance of the three points but emphasized that performances ultimately dictate qualification.

Defender Scott McKenna echoed the manager's sentiments, revealing Clarke's halftime fury despite Scotland leading 1-0. "At halftime, the manager came in, we were 1-0 up, but he was absolutely furious, and rightly so," McKenna said. "We struggled to win any first balls and certainly didn't win any second balls. We made it difficult for ourselves". Captain Andy Robertson admitted that the victory "didn't feel good" and that the performance was "nowhere near what we needed it to be". He cited fatigue as a potential factor but dismissed it as an excuse, emphasizing that the only positive was the win itself.

Clarke, while critical, also focused on the resilience of his squad. Following a previous defeat to Iceland, Clarke was pleased with his players' positive response in a 4-0 victory against Liechtenstein. He noted the "hurt and anger" in the dressing room after the Iceland game and how the team harnessed that into a strong performance. He trusts that his players have always shown the resilience to bounce back.

Looking ahead, Scotland face crucial matches against Greece and Denmark next month. Clarke will undoubtedly demand a significant improvement in performance as they seek to secure their place at the World Cup. While acknowledging the importance of results, Clarke's focus on performance indicates his long-term vision for the team and his commitment to building a squad capable of competing at the highest level. He wants to ensure they get three points in the next game as well and stay focused.