B LICENCE TO KILL Charlie getting stuck into course to prepare for England

“And I’ve been looking forward to it for months, pretty much since the draw was made. The game is huge but the bigger picture is just getting a result and taking it into the games with Lithuania and Malta in September. That’s the aim.

“I’d only started two games back from injury before the last game in November but I was on the phone to the manager offering to play. But I’m like that for every Scotland game, itching to be involved.

“I’ve always loved it. I’ll keep playing with Scotland until I’m told otherwise.

“I told the manager that if he needed me I was ready to go. I was grateful I got called in late on, even though I wasn’t stripped for the game eventually.

“It was such a weird game because I thought we played brilliantly. To lose 3- 0 didn’t ref lect the game. Three crosses, three goals for them.

“I was sitting right behind the dugout with John McGinn and Gordon Greer. We all wanted to be involved but it was still good to be part of a game of that size. But it’s gone and all that matters is this one.”

Gordon Strachan hasn’t had his troubles to seek at centre-half this season, with Grant Hanley making only f ive league starts for Newcastle and Russell Martin playing most of the season at right-back for Norwich.

That prompted a recall for Mulgrew against Slovenia in March – and it was a successful one. The former Celtic and Aberdeen defender said: “It was a big result for us when we needed it. We kept it solid and got what we needed.

“But we need to move on from that and just try to get the next result.

“We were under pressure in the last game. We were aware how big it was. It was must-win. But you put pressure on yourself to win every game.

“It was a great feeling to keep our hopes alive.

“You have to play the game rather than the occasion and we played well that night.”

Mulgrew was one of three lefties across the back four that night – and he insists he would have no problem seeing Kieran Tierney back in at right- back against Gareth Southgate’s side.

He said: “I can see it working again – I don’t see why not.

“He did really well at right-back. He’s a great defender, a top player.

“I don’t think I’ve ever played there – it’s a bit different for a left-footed player but it shouldn’t be any more of a problem that a right footer going the other way. But Tierney is more than good enough to pull it off.

“His defending is the best part of his game – not many get past him.

“He’s aggressive as well, so for him only to get one domestic booking all season shows you how good he is and how well he times his tackles and reads the game.”

Wit h Eng l a nd ’ s t h i rd tier beckoning for Blackburn, Mulgrew may play in the same country as next week’s opposition but he’s wel l aware they’re not in the same league. But that , he i nsi st s , br ings its o w n pressures for a side with a huge burden of expectation on them. Mulgrew admitted : “There’s no getting away from it, England have top players playing every week in the best league in the world. “But that’s the challenge for us – and the pressure of living up to it for them. Their press create a lot of pressure and we have to take advantage of that. “They get it constantly down there, but that’s why they get paid the big money playing at that level. “All we can do is do what we do well and see what happens.” r epr e sent a t i v e s a r e expected in Glasgow this week to discuss the move.

But Spanish side Malaga have now also declared an interest in the 23-year- old.

The player said: “I’m calm about my future but every player wants to improve.

“I’ve seen the reports and I’ve heard good information about Caixinha. But I haven’t spoken to anyone at Rangers.”

The Ibrox club were last night linked to two more Mexican internationalists striker Eduardo Herrera and right-back Javier Abella.

And reports in Portugal suggest Gers are interested in another Setubal defender Federico Venancio.

Scots star Ryan Gauld, who was on loan at Vitoria f rom Sporting Lisbon, believes Venancio would be a hit at Ibrox.

He said: “Federico is a really good defender and wouldn’t be fazed by the physical demands of the Scottish game.”

Meanwhi le, Rangers appear to have lost out on Callum Paterson after they failed to match Cardiff’s bid for the Hearts full-back.