You can never quite predict what Steve Clarke’s Scotland will deliver, but one constant remains at the heart of his defense – Rangers’ rock-solid center-back, John Souttar.
On nights like this – where Scotland found themselves under sustained pressure from a dominant Greece side that registered 24 shots to Scotland’s eight and held 58% possession – there’s no one better to rely on than the steadfast anchor from Aberdeenshire.
March has been a month filled with performances that could easily be labeled ‘John Souttar specials.’ Across two grueling legs and 210 minutes of Europa League last-16 action – where Rangers eventually edged out Fenerbahce thanks to Jack Butland’s heroics in a penalty shoot-out – Souttar racked up 27 clearances.
He followed that up with another nine as Rangers stunned Celtic on Sunday, earning a ‘9/10’ rating and Rangers News’ Man of the Match honors for a commanding display at Parkhead.
So, when Greece ramped up the pressure after Scott McTominay’s 33rd-minute penalty in the first leg of the UEFA Nations League play-off, Souttar did what he does best – outperforming anyone else in the Scotland squad when it comes to defensive resilience.
Souttar was flawless at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, a commanding presence in the backline as Scotland dealt a Nations League blow to Greece. The fact that Craig Gordon, Scotland’s 42-year-old goalkeeper, was forced into making just one save despite Greece’s relentless 24 attempts speaks volumes about the impenetrable barrier Souttar provided.
Steve Clarke was quick to praise Grant Hanley and Anthony Ralston for their efforts, both arriving on international duty with limited club minutes but delivering surprisingly sharp performances. But there was nothing surprising about Souttar’s display – after all, he has been anchoring an iron-clad defense throughout March.
“We knew we were up against a good side, and it was always going to be a tough game,” Clarke said, with McTominay’s penalty giving Scotland a slender lead to protect at Hampden Park. “We expected Greece to come at us more in the second half, and they did. We couldn’t quite get our rhythm back, so we had to show a different side to our game – brave, disciplined defending.”
BBC Scotland described Souttar as ‘outstanding,’ while Bill Leckie of The Scottish Sun noted that he seamlessly transferred his solid Rangers form to the international stage. “Constantly defending his box in the second half, he stood tall in a no-nonsense display,” Leckie wrote, awarding Souttar an 8/10 rating.
In a world where both Rangers and Scotland occasionally stumble into self-inflicted chaos, Souttar’s unwavering, no-frills approach is invaluable.
