Strachan defends Kane over ‘hat-trick’ quip

If Gordon Strachan’s mood could be taken as an indicator of his team’s fortunes, the home support at Hampden could start celebrating a Scottish victory in today’s Auld Enemies World Cup qualifier.

The Scotland manager can be brittle, waspish and sharptongued, but, on the eve of a fixture for which his players have been almost universally written off, he was visibly relaxed and willing to engage in banter without an edge.

An attempt to generate irritation was made with the suggestion that Harry Kane had denigrated the Scots with the comment that his international scoring record was low but could be remedied by “a hat-trick at the weekend”.

Strachan, however, would not bite. “He never said he was going to score three or four goals. That’s a different thing altogether,” Strachan said. “He’s too respectful to say things like that.

“That’s why we like him as a bloke. He’s got that respect from his team-mates and people playing against him, because he respects you.”

Nevertheless, given that the three most recent meetings with England have seen the Scots ship three goals on each occasion, the Tartan Army have every reason to be apprehensive about what could happen if England’s marksmen are in the mood to mark the end of the season in style.

Strachan, though, declared that he could envisage a situation where Kane, Adam Lallana, Raheem Sterling and Dele Alli are thwarted by the Scottish defence.

“We’re going for the victory,” said the manager. “I genuinely believe we can win. I really do and I’d be really disappointed if we didn’t get anything from the game.”