FRIENDLY internationals are ordinarily matches which managers use to take a look at uncapped or up-and-coming players as well as to try out different formations and new tactics.

Steve Clarke, though, will stick with tried and tested personnel and the same proven formula in the games against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Friday evening and Northern Ireland in Glasgow next Tuesday.

The Euro 2024 finals are edging ever nearer – the Group A opener against hosts Germany in the Allianz Arena in Munich is now less than three months away.

Clarke will seek to perfect not try to tinker during this double header as he gets preparations for the summer underway in earnest.

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Asked if the time for experimenting was over after a training session at Lesser Hampden yesterday, his assistant John Carver said: "I think it is, yeah. Steve and myself know how we want to play, what system we are going to use and how we are going to fit the players in. It's quite exciting.”

Andy Robertson and his team mates won their first five Euro 2024 qualifiers to effectively, if not arithmetically, secure their place in Germany. Since then, though, they have gone five matches without recording a victory.

The Herald: The calibre of opposition in the first three of those outings was considerable – they played England, Spain and France - and the latter two meetings with Georgia and Norway were meaningless as second spot in Group A was already assured.

However, Carver knows it is vital for the national team to get back to winning ways and build up much-needed momentum and he is anticipating two intense encounters in the days ahead.

"It is important,” he said. “Let's not forget we've had some difficult games recently. But when you qualify early, it can sometimes distract you a little bit and you take your foot off it. So the four games (Scotland will play Gibraltar away and Finland at home before they fly out to the Euros) are very important.

“It's important we go into the tournament with some confidence from winning games. We've had some really tough games and we've learned some great lessons from it - both players and staff. But we need to get back to winning.

“Because the Euros is the carrot, I think the friendlies will be more competitive than normal friendlies. The Nations League has been fantastic because people say they are friendlies, but they are competitive matches. You've got that carrot of being promoted like we were.

“So these games are going to be exactly the same. The players are fighting for 23 places. I'm hoping we will see that competitive edge unlike a normal friendly.”

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One player who will not be involved in the Netherlands or Northern Ireland games is Grant Hanley. The Norwich City centre half, who has not played at international level since the 2-0 win over Spain last year, pulled out of the Scotland squad yesterday due to an ankle injury.

Carver is hopeful that Hanley, who was sidelined for eight months due an achilles problem, is available for selection when the final Euro 2024 squad is announced in May.

He emphasised that missing this double header will not impact on the experienced defender’s chances of being involved at another major tournament.

The Herald: “Grant was disappointed and obviously we were disappointed because we wanted him to be here,” he said. “But he has to get himself right. The most important thing is that he gets himself fit and playing again. We just have to see how he goes over the next two, three, four weeks.

“Norwich are coming to the part of the season where they could get promotion, there’s some big games coming up. It’s important he gets himself fit and if he’s fit and playing then obviously Steve will consider whether or not he’s in the squad. He loves being here. He wants to be here. At the end of the day, he’s one of our best centre backs.

“I think we’ve got a competitive squad. Let’s not forget, Ryan Porteous has done well, Jack Hendry’s done well. Obviously, Kieran Tierney’s back which is important. We’ve got Liam Cooper, who has been a rock for us, coming in and fitting in on the left hand side centrally. But Grant’s a very important part of the squad and he’s somebody that we’re not going to forget about.”

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Carver continued: “If Grant’s fit he brings something different to the other centre backs, something that they probably don’t have. He’s more aggressive, he’s decent in the air, he’s very, very competitive. So he adds a different dynamic.

“We actually talked a little bit about him this morning because he does give us something different. He has that experience, we know what he’s about, we know what we’ve got with him, we know what he’s going to give us.

“We have to look at that final 23 at the end and consider, ‘What do we need if we play against somebody who has a different style?’ It would’ve been great if he’d been fit for this weekend. He might’ve been coming up against (Wout) Weghorst who is a big, strong centre forward, a different type of player. Grant might’ve been perfect in that situation to deal with the physicality.”

Scott McKenna, the Nottingham Forest centre half who moved to Copenhagen in Denmark on loan in January and has since faced Manchester City in the Champions League, did not take part in Scotland training yesterday after picking up a knock playing for his club at the weekend.

Carver does not feel Clarke will call up a replacement if McKenna is ruled out of the Netherlands and Northern Ireland games due to the options which he has in that area.   

"We're not interested in experimenting,” he said. “We already know what the system is. We have four massive games and they will go quickly. Then we are ready for that big one [against Germany].”