Scotlandisation of Syria - too good at the qualifiers, too horrible in the big stage

When you spent the UEFA Euro 2020, one nation that would stun you the most was no other than Scotland. It's weird because Scotland was not just one of the 11 host nations in this pan-European edition (moved a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic), but also you must be shocked to see Scotland was among one of 24 nations to take part in the Euro - and getting a shameful early exit.

Before the tournament, Scotland's last competitive tournament was the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. Scotland won only one point, a 1-1 draw to Norway. Since then, Scottish football misery has endured for two decades, before the Scots pulled out a shocking away win on penalties against Serbia in the playoffs of Euro 2020, which denied Serbia a chance to make a historic European debut since the independence of Montenegro but also brought Scotland to this competition, its third, after 25 years. Serbia, on the other hand, has to keep suffering. I am somewhat disgusted to see Scotland here, well, not because I dislike Scotland on anything, but rather, the depressing records of Scotland in every major football tournament: group stage... after eight World Cups and two Euros.

One of my discussions before the tournament, online, was where I openly criticised Scotland's participation. A lot of Scottish fans laughed at me, stated that I was salty because Serbia didn't qualify, that Scotland would progress and become one of the best-performed teams in the tournament. After one month ate and slept with Euro, you know... all became history, nothing change... at all. By that point, those Scots who used to celebrate victory over Serbia went underground. Some became disillusioned to a point they wished that Serbia should have been there.

Scottish players in disbelief after Euro 2020 elimination.

Yet Scotland is not the only national team with such a miserable record. The UEFA's much larger, but weaker counterpart, the AFC - which controlled the football affairs in Asia, has also carried a member who can be considered as a burden, maybe a humiliation: Syria.

Syria and Scotland don't have so many in common. One is a constitutional nation within the larger United Kingdom with representative democracy under the Royal House; one is an autocratic pan-Arab dictatorship. One is relatively peaceful; the other is under wars and occupations, notably the civil war that began in 2011. Even in football, the two nations have little in connection. Scotland has a stable national league with competitive clubs; Syria is under war, hence the national league is not held annually, but varied by divisions.

Hilariously though, even though Scotland and Syria have anything but similarities at most, the duo coincides with several things: first, is the dubious record in every major tournament. Syria has never been to the World Cup like the Scots, sure, but it has been to the AFC Asian Cup six times and will take part in the upcoming seventh edition in China. Ironically, in all six Asian Cups of Syria, the last thing Syria did good, is the group stage.

Sounds hilarious? Yes.

Syria has just taken part in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup held in the United Arab Emirates, one of the countries that condemned the Assad regime, though by far Abu Dhabi was more lenient in action than Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Expectations among Syrians were high, many had hoped that the Syrian team would bring joy to the war-torn nation. Sadly, the last thing Syria did was one point out of three matches, much to the dismay of many Syrians.

Syrian players in disbelief following the 2019 Asian Cup elimination.

The grotesque perpetration plan of Syria began when the Federation appointed former Stasi spy and football manager, Bernd Stange, to lead Syria in late 2018. Stange's initial results were good, with draws against Qatar, Iraq, Uzbekistan and Oman; as well as wins against Bahrain, Kuwait and Yemen. But the salary given to the German coach was questionable: he received 30 times above Ayman Hakeem, who was responsible for Syria's playoff spot for the 2018 World Cup. Then, criticism ran high about the selection of Syria, when Stange opted for more drastically defensive tactics than fully committing to attack, despite having players like Omar Al Somah, Omar Kharbin and Mardik Mardikian. In the end, the German lost his job after just two matches, a 0-0 draw to Palestine despite having one more player from the second half, and a blowing 0-2 defeat to Jordan. Fajr Ibrahim was offered to rally the demoralising Syrian side against Australia, then-Asian champions, but lost 2-3.

The outcome was so humiliating that the Syrian public went into an uproar. They demanded those responsible for this dismal form to step down. But as I've mentioned, Syria is a pan-Arab dictatorship, where Assad has leverage to dictate the football team. The current Syrian Arab Football Federation (SAFF) is under the command of Hatem Ghaeb, who was part of the Syrian team in the 1996 Asian Cup also held in the UAE. Hatem is a supporter of Al-Assad rule, so it was hardly a surprise. The once captain of the Syrians, Firas Al-Khatib, initially supported the opposition against the Assad dictatorship but later switched his loyalty back to the Alawite-based dictator.

With such politicised nature, nothing so surprising that Syria's lack of international credits is well-known.

But that's not the only coincidence. The second is the very passionate nature of these teams in qualifiers. If you have spent some time enjoying these teams in qualifications, they're a stark contrast from themselves in the big stages.

I did tell about how Scotland qualified for the UEFA Euro 2020 as evidence of how Scotland can be highly paranoid in the qualifiers. Currently, Scotland is repeating the same, though harder a bit, by taking second place, which meant the playoffs for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. This has followed with a number of good results in the stage, gaining four points from Austria, an away draw against Israel and not-so-heavy-loss to Denmark away, leave alone minnows Moldova and Faroe Islands.

Scottish players sharing joy with Lyndon Dykes when he scored the only goal in Scotland's 1-0 win away to Austria.

Insanely, Syria has been reproducing somewhat similar performance.

Syria has qualified for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in China with a somewhat overpowering demonstration. This came after Syria suffered an enormous emotional crisis within the squad due to its inability to get the needed results and early elimination in the UAE's Asian Cup. When Syria saw itself together with the Philippines and China, the media had initially pointed out Syria and the Philippines would have fought for second. Fajr Ibrahim had a different idea: pulling full strength and succeeded in even beating the Philippines and China to top the group before booking a place to the edition with a comfortable 3-0 win over Guam, an equivalent to the Faroe Islands. Syria's first place in the group was unquestioned, making Syria's 1-3 loss to China totally meaningless for the Syrians. It should be noted that Syria's earlier 2-1 win over China was responsible for Marcello Lippi, who won the 2006 World Cup with Italy, to resign on a low note.

Syrian players celebrating its 2-1 win over China.

Scotland and Syria are basically, like distant cousins in football.

Both nations are only capable in the qualifying stage, not the final one. They never lack talented players, but only when they are in the qualifying round. In the big tournaments, they'll unveil themselves unfit to play.

I am not intending to disparage Scotland or Syria, but when you have to look at their past records, people will not stop doubting. Is there any reason for Syria to suffer what Scotland has been? We still can't get it, but the best explanation is, there must be a loser mentality inherited in both Syrian and Scottish teams even before the game started. This mentality has affected how Syria and Scotland perform on the field.

Sadly, the current situation is unlikely to help either. Scotland and Syria are in the energetic mode in search of a place in Qatar 2022, but with the way how they are showing in qualifiers and the main tournament, don't expect too highly about Syria or Scotland to produce anything great if these federations can't deal with the loser mentality. That's when, today, we are seeing Syria getting Scotlandised.