McManus predicts exciting future for Scotland after being impressed by Strachan’s squad

Scots given rookie ref

Former Scotland skipper Stephen McManus is excited about the potential of the current Scotland squad as they prepare for two crucial World Cup qualifiers.

Gordon Strachan’s squad face a trip to Vilnius to take on Lithuania on Friday before hosting Malta next week in two must-win fixtures that could decide their fate ahead of the 2018 World Cup.

After a tricky start to the campaign, a 2-2 draw against England in June has brought renewed optimism around Scottish football and McManus thinks the current squad has an exciting future.

“I think they are very good, there is a good blend of experience,” he said at a William Hill event at Hampden Park.

“Stuart Armstorng is going to be a player who is a Scotland regular for the next few years, Kieran Tierney has come in and shown just how good a player he is right now, never mind in the future (and) Andrew Robertson has had a fantastic move to Liverpool which he fully deserves.

“You have very, very good young players coming through, but they are playing at an extremely high level which is key.

“You have the experienced players as Scotland’s World Cup hopes will be in the hands of rookie referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande in Lithuania on Friday.

The Spanish official has never taken charge of a competitive fixture at this level, with his only previous senior international experience coming when he oversaw friendlies between Canada and Mauritiana and Saudi Arabia and Georgia.

Grande was, however, the man in the middle for two Scotland under-19s fixtures in 2013, with the Tartan teens succumbing to 3-1 and 3-0 defeats against Georgia and England respectively.

Gordon Strachan will be hopeful that does not prove an unhappy omen. well which you need, so the blend is very good and they look as if they want to represent Scotland, and win or qualify for a major tournament which would be a fantastic achievement.”

That trio are all likely to be playing Champions League football this season following the successful qualifications of Celtic and Liverpool in the play-offs last week.

The experience of playing against the best teams in Europe could be crucial to the continued development of the current crop of Scotland players, with as many as six Celtic players in Strachan’s squad.

He said: “What you want is to fill your national team with a winning mentality and (players who) are comfortable with playing in big competitions and big games. Pressurised situations, pressure games, Celtic players do that on a regular occurrence.

“They are working under a fantastic manager in Brendan Rodgers who has taken them to a whole new level.”

McManus, who won 26 caps for Scotland, has retired from the game and stepped back into a coaching role with Motherwell after being told he would not get regular playing time this season.