Dave McPherson labels Scotland squad ‘best since France 98’ as ex-Rangers star backs Steve Clarke’s side for future success

Dave McPherson insists the current Scotland squad is the strongest group of players assembled since Craig Brown’s 1998 World Cup team.

The Scots, who sit 39th in the FIFA world rankings, ended their 22-year wait to reach a major tournament by qualifying for the European Championships last year.

However, their lenghty wait to grace a World Cup Finals will continue after suffering Play-Off semi-final disappointment at the hands of Ukraine last Wednesday.

The 3-1 defeat brought an end to an eight-match unbeaten run for Steve Clarke’s side but they have fresh cause for optimism as they look to kick start their Euro 2024 qualifcation bid by winning in their opening UEFA Nations League fixture against Armenia at Hampden Park tonight.

Former Rangers and Hearts defender McPherson, who earned 27 caps for the national team between 1989 and 1993, reckons the players will still be hurting after missing out on a place at Qatar in November.

However, he believes Scotland have age on their side at present and is backing Clarke’s men to bounce back immediately.

Speaking exclusively to GlasgowWorld, McPherson said: “It’s difficult comparing teams like-for-like. I get asked that question all the time for club sides as well.

“I think you’ve got to take it on it’s own merit. If you play for a particular team, what have you won?

“I think the (current) squad is as good a group as we’ve had in a number of years, but it’s all about qualifying and doing as well as we possibly can.

“You’re judged on results as a manager and a player, so it’s about getting the results.

“Despite the result last week, I would say the squad at the moment has a good feel about it. The players all get on well and are playing at a really good level, so they should do well.”

McPherson was fortunate to experience two major tournaments as part of Andy Roxburgh’s Italia 90 side that lost narrowly to Costa Rica and beat Sweden 2-1 only to be knocked out at the group stage by a late Brazil goal.

He started all three group matches during Euro 92 during which the Scots lost narrowly to the Netherlands and world champions Germany before ending their group stage campaign with a 3-0 win over CIS.

Asked whether those memories were the highlight of his playing career, the 58-year-old admitted: “Yes, I would say so.

“I was lucky enough to play in the game when Steve Clarke scored against Mexico at an under-19 World Cup in Mexico City which was also fantastic.

“Anytime you represent your country it’s a special moment. (Major tournaments) are very special. It’s something we should be at regularly but I think it’s getting more difficult to qualify for tournaments.

“I think as a player that’s where you aspire to be, you want to play against the best teams and the best players in the world.

“In 1990, apart from the first match against Costa Rica, we played and beat a good Sweden team and then faced Brazil. Those are the nations you want to be playing against and then you can judge how good or how bad a player you are, whatever way you look at it.

“I think we’ve maybe not improved as much as we should’ve done. Qualifying for tournaments like we did back then has sort of stagnated a little bit and emerging nations have worked a little bit harder to qualify.

“We’re in a good place at the moment and that’s the most important thing.”

The 1-0 loss to a star-studded Brazil side at the Stadio delle Alpi in Turin was a match that will live long in the memory of ex-defender McPherson.

He recalled: “I wasn’t really marking a particular player in that (Brazil) game. The way Brazil play, they used to just float about the park. They had a nippy we sweeper called Mauro (Galvão) and the likes of Dunga in their team.

“It’s not like they played a set 4-4-2 formation, they could change it in an instance. You were always aware of how good their movement was, how fast they were and how physically strong they were.”