Ryan Jack has been underrated for far too long – but one of the Scottish Premiership’s best midfielders has finally won over Steve Clarke.
So that’s three consecutive wins for Scotland – for the first time since October 2017 no less.
And though it’s far too soon to start budgeting for a trip to Europe next summer (those three wins came against Kazakhstan, Cyprus and San Marino after all) things do appear to be looking up at last under Steve Clarke.
After a dismal start to life in the national team hot seat, the former Kilmarnock boss appears to have found a winning formula. And the secret lies in the midfield.
Aston Villa star John McGinn was the headline performer once more in Tuesday’s 3-1 comeback win against Kazakhstan, scoring twice to take his tally to six goals in three matches. But without Ryan Jack plugging the gaps, hassling and haranguing in the heart of the engine room, McGinn perhaps wouldn’t have been able to drive forward with such devastating effect.
At the age of 27, the Rangers enforcer has just three caps to his name but there’s surely a lot more to come on the evidence of Scotland’s two fixtures during the November international break. Put simply, Jack is the kind of all-action, selfless team-player who makes his more gifted team-mates tick.
He’s become indispensable to Rangers since Steven Gerrard took over and it seems that one of the country’s most underappreciated footballers is finally getting the attention he deserves.
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