ROY’S ROAR
SCOTLAND
ROY AITKEN reckons Alex McLeish can ease himself back into the Scotland job now he’s earned a Nations League security blanket.
Aitken worked closely with Eck on the pitch then behind the scenes as an assistant during his first stint in charge of the national team.
But watching from afar the past 13 months the 60-year-old felt for his old pal as he copped fierce criticism over a difficult start to his second spell.
One win from his first five games with just one goal scored had put McLeish under serious pressure.
And when Scotland lost 2-1 to Israel on the back of a dreadful away performance in October critics questioned whether he’d last beyond their Nations League campaign.
Eventually they got through it beating Albania 4-0 in Shkoder and Israel 3-2 when they got them back to Glasgow to top the group.
The reward is a play-off place for Euro 2020 regardless of how this qualification campaign pans out.
But more importantly, as Aitken sees it, that success buys McLeish the time he needs to get a grip of this squad.
And with it mould them into the kind of close-knit unit that performed so well for him during his first tenure.
Aitken said: “I’m just glad everything has settled down a bit after the hysteria over the first few games.
“It’s an up-and-down scenario in football and amidst it all Alex has to try to keep an even keel, which to be fair he does.
“Now he has a chance to settle himself, get into a competition and give him a good few games to hopefully get some points on the board.
“I was delighted for them to get over that hurdle in the Nations League.
“It’s an achievement because they are now in a play-off scenario at worst next year.
“It’s a tough group but this will give him time now to bed