Kenny Miller Strachan has us moving in the right direction

Kenny Miller has watched on enviously as Gordon Strachan has proved true to his word to put Scotland on the attack.

The 33-year-old striker announced his retirement from international football in August after hitting a beauty against England at Wembley.

That hasn’t held his former team-mates back, though, with his departure followed by a hat-trick of wins against Macedonia, Croatia and Norway, plus a draw against the United States.

With the Euro 2016 qualifiers to be played in the New Year, confidence is high that Scotland has a decent chance to reach their first major Finals since 1998.

“It has been funny,” revealed Miller. “I’ve missed being with the lads but enjoyed watching the games.

“The manager said right from the start of his time in charge that he wanted us to play to our strengths, and that meant attacking whenever possible.

“I experienced his approach for myself before I retired, and it was very positive.

“But as the manager pointed out himself, it is not right to say we only play one up front.

“If you look at the way the team had been set up, including the game against England, it is with three lads who are in and around the main striker.

“Shaun Maloney has been injured for the last few games, but he was the one that played just off the striker in an advanced position, with two wider players slightly behind but still very much in an attacking role.

“It’s the job of all three players to support the striker but, when we lose the ball, to go back into shape and make us hard to play against.

“It’s a hard shift because you have to do two jobs. I remember at Wembley I was screaming at Shaun to get up beside me but he was just getting dragged back.”

Difficult, yet not impossible.

“I think that is one of the areas where we are very strong,” Miller continued. “The likes of Robert Snodgrass and James Forrest are two obvious examples.

“Then you have Ikechi Anya, who has been a real find for us, Steven Naismith and Barry Bannan. They are all good players to watch, and it can make you wish you were out there.

“You have to go sometime, though, and I felt it was my time.”

Miller topped off his cap tally at 69, but the striker continues to play at club level and is waiting to learn who his new boss will be at Vancouver Whitecaps.

“We don’t have a new manager yet, but I think we are close to making an appointment,” he says. “It seems as if they are interested in Bob Bradley, who was the manager of the US national team for a few years.

“He has the pedigree and he has the experience to come in and do a very good job for us.

“I am just waiting for news at the moment, but I am sure, whichever way they go, Vancouver will make the right decision.”