Simon Jordan was an unlikely ally of Scotland earlier today as he joined a doom and gloom discussion about the national team on talkSPORT.

Host Jim White was rather glum after a disappointing night for Steve Clarke's side against Northern Ireland last night.

Conor Bradley scored the only goal of the game against the Scots as the Liverpool talent scored his first for his country.

The Tartan Army booed the players off the pitch at both half-time and full-time, as the result meant Scotland have gone seven games without a win since qualifying for Euro 2024. 

Scotland have friendlies against Findlay and Gibraltar in June before the tournament kicks off against Germany later that month, so wins are desperately required going into the tournament. 

But former Crystal Palace owner Jordan, who has not been averse to a potshot at Scotland in the past, defended the progress made by Clarke and his players despite a poor performance on the night.

“You've got to give context," Jordan said when refusing to criticise. "It's a country of 5.5million people, it's a limited talent pool. Norway are a country of 5.5million people, you've beaten them and they've got a star player in Haaland. You've got to give credit where credit's due. Scotland are progressing. You are now qualifying for major tournaments on a regular basis.

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"When you're playing lesser opposition, take away the Northern Ireland fiasco yesterday, Scotland score goals. You score goals against Norway, Georgia and Cyprus. When you come up against the big nations, you struggle. That's the reality of football. It's about expectation levels.

"The only thing is where is the next Souness, Dalglish or Hansen coming from? Where are the world beaters that Scotland were producing once upon a time?

"But there needs to be a realism. Greece (won it), once upon a time, but that was a moment in time. It will never be repeated again. Every now and again you get an Iceland putting out England. But most of the time when you get into the business end of a tournament, and you've got a nation with five million people, you're going to struggle."