Strachan warns Scots will need to improve for Euros

Gordon Strachan has warned his Scotland stars further improvement will be needed if they are to qualify for Euro 2016.

The country hasn’t participated in a major Finals since going to France ’98 under the charge of Craig Brown.

Hopes are high that long wait could soon be over.

Since succeeding Craig Levein at the start of the year, the current national coach has led Scotland to five wins with Croatia and Macedonia among the scalps taken.

And with the next Euros expanded to accommodate 24 finalists, many are suggesting that merely maintaining the current form would be enough to qualify.

Strachan, though, has been keen to dampen down expectations.

“Listen, the squad and the rest of us should feel great and be happy with what we’ve achieved so far,” he said. It is just great to see people getting on a plane after they have won, to see people celebrating in the dressing-room.

“It makes it all worthwhile and I am hoping for some more. I really do think there is more in us.

“But then I look at the teams that have qualified for the World Cup and there are some incredibly good teams out there.

“So if we are to qualify for the next tournament then we have to get even better.

“There will be things we will have to do better that is for sure.

“I am happy with the quality at the moment and it’s getting better. I’m happy with loads of things but we definitely need to keep improving.”

The manager’s argument has logic behind it.

Scotland, are currently ranked 21st in the European Region, but expected to go into February’s big draw in Pot Four.

And that being the case they could face a battle to finish as one of the top two qualifying spots or even in third as a play-off contender.

“It is certainly right to say we will have no divine right to get through,” he said.

“I don’t think too much about whether we are third or fourth pot because we’re going to be in a hard group anyway.

“I look at our group again and I think it was hard. Then I look at some other groups and I don’t think it’s the pots it’s more the luck of the draw.

“We drew Croatia who were third in the world and then Belgium who ended up being one of the best teams in the world. Serbia were also an excellent side. So you can’t be sure.”

What the 56-year-old is convinced about is that teamwork will be the key to the country’s chances.

“We have to do it as a group because we don’t have the special players some other teams have,” he said.

“I looked at Ibrahimovic v Ronaldo the other night and I watched Modric play for Croatia.

“They are all top talents and we just don’t have special players like that at this moment in time.

“So what we have to do is forge a special bond between the players, an understanding of what you need when you come to us because we play in a certain way.

“You have to give them hours of training and work hard in training and be a special person who is part of the squad.”