Striker shortage vexing Mackay as he tackles caretaker job with long view

coming through, guys who have either played at international level or we think are capable of going up to international level. “That’s certainly something that, as a country, we’re going to have to look at. “We have to see where the next generation is coming through. And that’s why I’ve brought Jason Cummings in. “We don’t have a vast array of centre forwards to choose from. Some of the guys are getting nearer the end of their career, the forwards. “So for the next campaign, I’m talking about it to the guys now. This is their audition for the next three or four friendlies, going into the Euro 2020 qualifiers next September. “They’ve got to grab their chance over the next period, to show they can do it. Why not go and become someone who wins 50 caps? “There are some I’ve seen already where I believe that is going to happen. We’ve got to keep pushing as many as we can towards that path.” And yet Cummings, who cannot force his way into Mark Warburton’s Nottingham Forest attack, looks unlikely to win Mackay over in the space of a handful of training sessions.

All of which means Mackay has given himself a problem to solve. He added: “Where are our problems? Centre forward and centre-back. Bizarrely enough, right-back right now.

“But if we think where have we had problems in the last few years, it’s finding centre-backs and centre forwards.

“Looking at the academy structure for a longer period, was it fashionable to not be a centre-back or centre forward and be something else to the point it’s a swear word to be an old-fashioned centre-back?

“Centre forward is slightly different – people wanted to be a No.10, no one wanted to be the guy up the top running the channels. I suppose that’s because we’ve come away from playing two up top.”

Mackay had also considered drafting in a couple of youngsters from Scot Gemmill’s Under-21s – including Swansea striker Ollie McBurnie – but has decided against it in the best interests of their own attempt to qualify for a major finals.

Clearly, this is a man who is committed to implementing sweeping changes to Strachan’s Scotland. Time will tell if he is given long enough to do it his way.

KEITH JACKSON