Five months on, the regret still lingers among Scotland players over their dismal Euro 2024 showing, says Ryan Jack.
The midfielder was part of Steve Clarke’s squad at the finals and has opened up on the frustration of Scotland stumbling to another group-stage exit.
The Scots bowed out after defeats by Germany and Hungary either side of their solitary point in a 1-1 draw with Switzerland.
As Clarke’s side prepare to host Croatia in the Nations League on Friday night, Jack told the BBC’s Scottish football podcast: “I still keep in touch with quite a lot of the players that are still involved.
“Over the summer we were bitterly disappointed. There’s no getting away from it. Not just on the results, but on the performances and a bit of regret not really thinking that we showed what we showed in the qualifying campaign, which was so good.
“When we went to the tournament we never showed that, so there was a big frustration there.”
Scotland, who have won just once in 16 games, enter their final two Nations League outings – they visit Poland on Monday – bottom of the group and battling to avoid relegation from the top tier.
However, Jack is encouraged by the post-Euros performances and says Clarke and the squad have harnessed the disappointment.
The 32-year-old, who joined Turkish second-tier side Esenler Erokspor after his Rangers exit in the summer, said: “I think since the Euros, I’m sure the manager and the staff went away, reflected heavily on how that went.
“And then I’m sure these players, because there’s no doubt I did when I left, you look back and you think, what could have we done differently? There’s all sorts, it does go through your head. So I’m sure everyone’s reflected.
“And then I’m sure when they’ve met up again in the squad after that, it’s been a case of, right, let’s discuss it, let’s park it. And this is how we’re going to move forward.
“The manager is very good at that and he’s very strong-minded. He’s strong at addressing what goes wrong.
“Obviously results haven’t really come after the Euros but I definitely think performances have.”