FORWARD PICK HUGE FOR STRACH
GORDON STRACHAN says selecting his spearhead for tomorrow’s clash with Slovenia is the biggest call of his Scotland career – because he can’t afford to mess it up.
The Scots boss is fighting to keep the country’s World Cup dream alive – and battling to stay in the job.
Strachan must win at Hampden and admitted his choice of frontman will be crucial to remain on the road to Russia 2018.
Steven Fletcher, Leigh Griffiths, Chris Martin, Jordan Rhodes and Steven Naismith are all in the frame.
And asked if the call was the most important he’d had to make in his four years as Scotland boss, Strachan said: “Yes, because we can’t afford to get it wrong. Listen, I don’t think we could have done any more coaching or worked any more on shape.
“But, in club football, management is all about recruitment and making sure you get the right people in. In international football, it’s all about picking the right people on the day.
“I’ve got to back myself to make that call. We understand the consequences otherwise.”
Strachan has had his side for Slovenia in his mind all week and is set to throw Celtic’s Stuart Armstrong in for his debut in the crunch clash.
But he admitted the striker selection is the one position that’s given him a headache.
Fletcher has been kept out of the Sheffield Wednesday side by Rhodes, while Griffiths has yet to start a match for the Bhoys in 2017.
Martin got the nod against England at Wembley but has been in and out of the Fulham side, while Naismith has been used mainly as a sub by Norwich.
Rhodes has been the only regular but enjoys playing more with a strike partner.
And Strachan admitted he needs one of his rusty attackers to step up and be a hero, adding: “There has to be a striker who says, ‘Pick me’, but it might be that we play two strikers.
“It’s something we’ve got to look at. But, for the game, somebody has to come to the fore and lead us.” PW D L F A GD Pt England ...4 3 1 0 6 0 6 10 Slovenia...4 2 2 0 4 2 2 8 Slovakia ...4 2 0 2 7 2 5 6 Lithuania .4 1 2 1 5 7 -2 5 Scotland ..4 1 1 2 6 8 -2 4 Malta ........ 4 0 0 4 1 10 -9 0