The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Miller: No need to fear draw after way we beat the Danes
Composure, character and ability – Scotland and Aberdeen legend Willie Miller knows what it takes to win a World Cup play-off.
Gothenburg Great Miller, 66, was in the Scotland squad that beat Australia 2-0 on aggregate to qualify for the 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico.
Capped 65 times, Miller insists Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad should have no fear going into today’s play-off draw as they have all the characteristics required to progress to the Qatar finals.
The 2-0 defeat of Group F winners Denmark at Hampden confirmed Scotland would be seeded for the draw and receive a home clash in the one-leg semi-final. Home advantage in the one-leg final will be decided by another draw.
Miller said: “Composure, character and ability – you have to put all that together to win a World Cup play-off.
“That’s what Steve Clarke will be looking for on this occasion and Scotland showed all that against Denmark.
“Securing a seeded spot for a home tie makes such a difference as Hampden can be so important for Scotland.
“Although Scotland will be hoping to get one of the lesser teams in the draw, in a way it could be irrelevant.
“That’s because a repeat of the performance shown against Denmark against any team in the draw would give Scotland a great chance of progressing to the final.
“If Scotland got a home game for the final I would back them to win it.”
Scotland are in Pot 1 for the draw alongside Wales, Italy, Portugal, Russia and Sweden.
The six teams in Pot 2 are Austria, Czech Republic, North Macedonia, Poland, Turkey and Ukraine.
The play-offs take place from March 24 to 29.
Miller insist Clarke’s squad has absolutely nothing to fear going into the draw after delivering one of the best performances by a Scotland side.
Scotland are bidding to consecutively qualify for tournament finals, having ended a 23-year drought by reaching Euro 2020 this summer.
Miller believes the Scots, and the Tartan Army, can approach the draw and the play-offs in March not merely with hope, but with expectations of success.
The Pittodrie great, who played in the 1982 and 1986 World Cup finals, said: “It is one thing beating
Moldova but a completely different prospect not just beating group winners Denmark but really putting them to the sword.
“Scotland were the better side by a country mile on the night against Denmark.
“It was probably one of the best performances a Scotland international team has ever produced.
“There was not a failure in the Scotland team in that victory.
“The quality of the firsthalf performance in terms of possession, going forward and the link up play was something special.
“Although there wasn’t quite the same energy or intensity to get forward in the second half, there was a real maturity from
Scotland. It was a performance in which Scotland controlled the game and they never looked like drawing or losing it.
“When you put the two 45s together it is just about the perfect 90 minutes.
“That’s brilliant for Steve Clarke, the players and the nation. It gives us all not so much hope, but expectation.”
The 12 teams in today’s draw will be split into three play-off paths.
Each of these will contain four teams who will play a one-leg semi-final, with the winners then contesting a one-leg final.
The three winners of those finals will qualify for the World Cup finals in Qatar next November.
Clarke led the Scots to the Euro 2020 finals by negotiating a play-off, beating Serbia in a penalty shoot-out in the final in Belgrade last November.
Miller experienced at first hand the pressure of a play-off, having had to negotiate a two-leg affair to qualify for the 1986 World Cup finals.
Australia had already won the Oceania qualifying group but were forced to play the runners-up in Europe qualifying Group Seven.
Scotland had tragically lost legendary manager
Jock Stein, who died having suffered a heart attack late on in the 1-1 qualifier against Wales in Cardiff that secured the play-off spot.
Miller said: “We hammered Australia at Hampden.
“I actually had one cleared off the line believe it or not.
“It was a set-piece and that was nearly my second goal for Scotland.
“We thought it was going to be easy going over to Australia for the return.
“However it was a really difficult game over there and we drew 0-0.
“You take nothing for granted in play-offs and you have to do what needs to be done.
“We needed a certain character and determination to see it through.
“When you get to the stage of a play-off to reach a major competition you very rarely have a runaway performance against the opposition.
“It’s always going to be tight and fiercely contested and needing everything you have in the locker.
“Scotland will have to do the same in the play-off in March.
“But, after that defeat of Denmark, Scotland have shown they have what it takes.”