Scots are a nasty set-piece of work

MacPhee loves being part of odd couple with Clarke as goals hit new heights

- FRASER WILSON

HE admits they are football's Scottish odd couple.

But when it comes to the numbers game, pairing Austin MacPhee with Steve Clarke has helped put the national team firmly back on an even keel.

A trailblazer for what's almost become the norm in the Premier League, the Aston Villa set-piece coach has brought his area of expertise to Scotland after boss Clarke realised the need for improvement.

Some may scoff but the numbers stack up in MacPhee's favour.

The 43-year-old said: "The main job Steve wants is set-pieces for Scotland are well organised and are successful. This will be my 19th game against Cyprus.

"We have scored 12 goals in 18 games through setpieces, which include throwins. We have conceded four or five. In the previous 18 games we'd conceded four or five but scored one."

The first of those 18 games with MacPhee involved coincided with Scott McTominay's last-gasp winner against Israel on a monumental night at Hampden. There have been other stand-out set-piece goals such as John Souttar's against Denmark back at the National Stadium.