talkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara brands Scotland a ‘Championship outfit’ and ‘need 19 chances’ to score after their latest Euro 2020 defeat.
The Scot’s first game at a major tournament in 23 years ended in a crushing 2-0 defeat to Czech Republic, made more embarrassing by Patrik Schick’s goal from the halfway line, which was one of two goals he scored on the day.
The former top flight player pulled no punches in his assessment of Scotland’s Group D defeat, mocking the team’s ability.
“It was Championship finishing,” O’Hara said to Ally McCoist on talkSPORT Breakfast.
“Let’s not beat around the bush. I know Jose said Scotland are a Premier League outfit – they ain’t. Championship outfit.
“If you’ve got Dykes and Christie up front, you need 19 chances. You’ve got to take those chances.
“There’s been all this talk about them coming in and being the underdog and they’re going to win the competition! 19 chances! You’ve got to score.
“Che Adams was on the bench, he plays for Southampton.”
👀 “It was Championship finishing!”
😬 “I know Jose Mourinho said they are a #PL outfit but they’re not, they’re Championship. #SCO need 19 chances!” @MrJamieOHara1 doesn’t hold back when he’s talking about Scotland’s 2-0 loss to #CZE at #Euro2020 🔥 pic.twitter.com/yNOMDCOOUU
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) June 15, 2021
Scotland boss Steve Clarke: “We came here to be competitive, I think we were competitive in the game. Sometimes a match doesn’t go your way, today was that day,” he said.
“I don’t think there was much between the two sides, if I’m honest. If you look at our possession, our attempts at goal, we weren’t quite clinical enough at the right time.
“The breaks went against us at the wrong time. Losing a goal five minutes before half-time from a set play was disappointing, we normally defend that quite well.
“We came out for the second half and started quite well. Jack hit the bar, and had another shot which got blocked, fell to their striker, and he produced a marvellous finish. From there it becomes a difficult afternoon.
“We showed good invention, chances to get back into the game and if we make it 2-1, it’s a different afternoon. I’m disappointed, but ready for the next one.”
Scotland’s Kieran Tierney could return from a calf injury to face England on Friday, says manager Steve Clarke.
“He’s got a chance. “He did a little bit of light training today and we’ll see how he progresses.”
In Tierney’s absence, Scotland began their first major men’s finals in 23 years with a loss at Hampden.
However, Clarke insists his players are not downbeat as they prepare for a trip to Wembley to take on the group favourites.
“The players are fine, completely relaxed and know what they have to do,” said the manager. “We need to get the points required to get out of the group and we still have the chance to do that.
“So, all the doom and gloom that followed the result – not the performance, the result – should be put to one side. My job is to analyse the performance and unfortunately most people just look at the result.
“They are a group of players that are determined to do well for their country. I think that’s shown over the last number of games. We want to keep learning, we want to keep getting better and that’s what we’ll strive to do.
“Sometimes you have to take a negative result and hopefully we bounce back stronger.”
Goalkeeper David Marshall has come in for criticism and constantly meme’d online following the second of Schick’s goals at Hampden.
“David has probably faced that shot 50 times in his career and that’s the only time it’s gone in,” said Clarke.
“It happens. I don’t understand the criticism. It was a shot from Jack Hendry and three seconds later it’s in the back of the net. The blocked shot could go anywhere, it fell perfectly for him to run on to and hit. It’s one of those things.”
England started the tournament with a 1-0 victory over Croatia and Clarke described Gareth Southgate’s side as a “great young team”.
“They got off to a good start, we didn’t, so we need to remedy that,” he said. “It’s a great game to bounce back in. The players are looking forward to it, I’m looking forward to it and I’m sure the Tartan Army will as well.
“Every game in the tournament is a big game. I think because it’s against our friends from south of the border it makes it extra special.”
Fans reacted as pundit Jamie O’Hara brands Scotland a ‘Championship outfit’…
@Whittleefc: Best thing about this video is @laura_woodsy face 🤣🤣
@YouKnow23729246: Jamie Ohara loves the sound of his own voice!……..
@Lthomas_88: Go on Jamie son 🔥🔥😂😂
@BenSmart1: He’s right here. They’ve got a World Class player who is, unfortunately, a lb, a smattering of decent Premier League players, and the majority of the squad is Championship at best.
@Jboyle102: Someone show me these 19 chances Robertson should have done better dykes had 2 chances and we hit the bar from a hit and hope end of day we were shit set up for the draw 1 clear cut chance that dykes missed
@jamescrisford: Don’t like all this talk 3 days before England v Scotland. They will probably have 2 chances on Friday and score both of them.
@harry71424: @laura_woodsy face when he first said “championship finishing” is priceless 🤣🤣
@oro7777777: First time he’s actually taking sense
@DanielNUFC85: I’d be careful spouting off… we still have to play them on Friday. Could end up with egg on the face
@Frankkilpat79: O’Hara is right I’m afraid re Christie & Dykes. Tbh, up front is where we have struggled for yrs but surely he has to go with Adams leading the line on Friday (Nisbet 2nd choice). And cannot emphasise enough that he has to go with Gilmour & Patterson too
@airman614: Jamie OHara married a woman almost his entire team had been through, enough said!
@2021CL2: Even championship is being nice.
@ShitChatter94: He’s not wrong, for once. Adams is scoring in the Premier League and somehow doesn’t start. Ridiculous decision.
@WaynePRouse6: They’re shite!
@DarrenRoss13: Loves dishing it out but greets like a bairn when its thrown back at him. What an absolute thundercunt of a pundit. Sitting next to an ex-pro who actually earned his medals by playing
@garetho75951588: 😂😂 quality and honest fair play….
@ScottMo89207262: @Mrjamieohara1 bang on again. Team of poor footballers
Fans continued to react as the pundit brands Scotland a ‘Championship outfit’…
@danielcairney7: 😂😂 yet @Mrjamieohara1 would never get in that Scotland midfield back in his day. Sit doon wee man
@Ryan_Mckirdy_: You are a conference league outfit daffy @Mrjamieohara1
@scottm1989: Jamie O’Hara pishes the bed, pass it on
@danieloverett_: He was literally itching to jump in and have a dig at Scotland here 🤣🤣
@JakeeGray: Never seen ally Mcoist look so depressed 🤣 and Laura woods is trying not to burst out laughing 😂😂😂
@S_GillettCole: O’hara is absolutely bang on!!
@oro7777777: Incredibly harsh to the championship
@kev_arm5trong: Clueless again from O’Hara, how he’s still with @talkSPORT is beyond me. The Championship is obviously a far better standard.
@robman827: That’s fair enough as O’Hara was a Championship player (at best).
@Gerryp72: @Mrjamieohara1 with his cupboard full of international caps and world cup/euro experience eh 😂🤣
@skylineowl: Stop knocking the championship Jamie 😂🍸
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