Katy Perry goes unnoticed by Scotland’s soccer coach as his team shares a hotel with pop star

GLASGOW (AP) — Sharing a Glasgow hotel with pop star Katy Perry hasn’t been much of a distraction for Scotland coach Steve Clarke as he prepares his team for two crucial World Cup qualifiers this week.

“I didn’t know she was there,” the 62-year-old coach said, acknowledging that he wasn’t very familiar with the the artist whose “Lifetimes Tour” came to Glasgow on Tuesday.

“I’ve heard the name,” Clarke added. “I’m sure if you played a couple of her songs I’d say, ‘Oh, I recognize that one’, but I couldn’t name you one song, I’m sorry.”

Clarke said he wouldn’t have recognized Perry herself either if he’d run into her at the team’s hotel.

“That’s no disrespect to Katy, but I’m from a different generation,” the former Chelsea defender said, adding: “And she wouldn’t recognize me.”

Clarke aims to lead Scotland to its first World Cup tournament since 1998 and the wait has felt like a lifetime for the Tartan Army fans.

After two games, Scotland is tied on four points with Denmark, which is the favorite to qualify from the group.

It faces Greece on Thursday, when Clarke will tie a Scotland record. Clarke’s 71st game as coach matches the tally of Craig Brown, who took the Scots to the World Cup in France 27 years ago.

Scotland had a good start to the four-team group last month, getting a 0-0 draw at Denmark and winning 2-0 against Belarus, which also comes Hampden Park for the return game Sunday.

So while Scotland’s World Cup history has been very “Hot N Cold,” the team could still be a “Dark Horse” to “Roar” to victory in the group.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer