The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Strachan: Slovakia could be a ‘long night’.
Scotland boss relishes challenge of must-win clash with Slovakia
It could be a “long night” for Scotland and their fans when they face Slovakia, manager Gordon Strachan admits.
Strachan stressed that the Slovaks are a side packed full of quality, and that it will take a massive effort from his players to beat them at Hampden on Thursday.
He maybe needn’t have bothered, considering we all saw them dismantle his team 3-0 in Trnava a year ago.
However, that was the old Scotland and it will be the new, revitalised team that takes to the field for this must-win clash – and, hopefully, sets up a play-off clincher in Slovenia on Sunday.
Just in case any of the Tartan Army were getting carried away as the excitement builds this week, Strachan was on hand to deliver a reality check.
The national coach, who will have to manage without captain Scott Brown and fellow midfielders Stuart Armstrong and Matt Ritchie, said: “So Slovakia, what do I think of them? Well, I did say I always thought it would be very difficult to beat them.”
Strachan added: “I saw them at the European Championships last summer and they have four or five top, top players, backed by a group of good players.
“They do have a small squad but it’s like a club side. You can nearly pick their side most of the time, one or two areas aside.
“They made life difficult for England and they will make it hard for us. “Indeed, I think it will be a long night. “It will also be an interesting night and it might even be a nervous night.
“Hopefully, at the end of the night, we are all happy.”
Strachan, who is always happy to be contrary, then argued that the wins over Lithuania and Malta last month were actually more challenging than this one will be.
He said: “Sometimes when there are big games coming up it is easy because there is not an expectation on you.
“It is a different ball-game when the pressure is on you.
“I honestly think the harder games were Lithuania away and Malta here. If you don’t do anything there, you’re out.
“But we’ve got over those really nervous ones and we are coming into this relishing it now.
“We still have to win but we’ve done enough to feel a bit better about ourselves. We have done enough to nearly get a full house, when there could have been nobody there on Thursday.
“The players have managed to do that and that’s to their credit.”
I honestly think the harder games were Lithuania away and Malta here.
GORDON STRACHAN