Scotland’s stars will be asked to add a dash of home comfort to the momentum they have built up under Gordon Strachan.
They will do so without the need for go-karts, golf, getting drunk or fighting with each other!
While resigned to being out of the World Cup qualification race, they have been able to bring back a country’s pride in the national side. There have been stirring victories in Croatia and Macedonia plus a decent display in defeat to England at Wembley.
As yet, though, they have still to show a similar level of progression at Hampden Park. The last win at the famous old ground came back in September, 2011 when Steven Naismith’s strike was enough to down Lithuania. And that is a situation the national coach is anxious be put right when Croatia visit on Tuesday night.
“I don’t detect any fear from the players about us being at home. We just have to play better here,” said Strachan, after putting his squad through their paces in Mount Florida yesterday. “Away from home we now think we have a system we think we can rely on. It is one we are comfortable with.
“But we also need to lift the fans at Hampden and to do that we need to do better and we need to win. Here I just want to see more energy off the ball when we have it. So there is more space and more options for our players in possession. It is quite a difficult thing to do so we have been working very hard to make it happen.
“As a group we have plenty of enthusiasm and willingness to work and we have been making good use of that. I know I personally feel better when I go to my bed thinking we have done something that will hopefully help us in the game, rather than just having the lads play five-a-sides or what have you.”
Strachan took the players to watch the Under-21s in action at St Mirren Park on Thursday but rejects the view of the trip as a morale-building exercise.
“I have always said all along that it is not nights out that generate team spirit,” he said. “It is not going to the go-karts, I can’t get my head round that. It is not going to the golf or getting drunk and start fighting with one another great for team spirit! It is winning games.
“When you are in the dressing-room after the wins we achieved in Croatia or Macedonia places we played quite well and the atmosphere is quite different. That is what develops team spirit. Everybody gets a kick from results like that, coaches, medical staff and, of course, the players. It makes us all feel better and as a result the whole place feels better.
“To beat Croatia, therefore, would definitely add to what we are trying to achieve, which is to build up for the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.”
He likewise dislikes the notion that the visitors will be diminished by their home defeat on Friday night. Two stunning goals from Romelu Lukaku saw Belgium secure their place in the World Cup Finals in Brazil next year as the winners of Group A.
And in the process they condemned Croatia to the play-offs.
Said Strachan: “Maybe there will be temptation for the coach to make sure some of his players who are on a booking don’t pick up another to rule them out of the play-offs. That means they (a group that includes Luka Modric, Maria Mandzukic, and Vedran Corluka) might not play over here.
“But if that happens they will just bring in Olic or Eduardo or Jelavic which doesn’t sound too bad, does it! Whoever starts for them will be up for this game, I am sure of that.
“You don’t get to play for the teams they play for without having good motivation.”
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