Room for optimism on road to Russia
IT is easy to see the glass half-empty when it comes to following Scotland. Normally, because it is half-empty and someone is already at the bar getting in another round of super-strength Pilsner to drown the sorrows. These last few campaigns have certainly provided ample reason to forget everything in the velvety embrace of the grape and grain, and it cannot be denied there are many issues that will have to be overcome if we are to have the slightest chance of making it to the 2018 World Cup Finals.
The centre of our defence, of course, is the outstanding one.
Unlike FIFA’s magnificent achievement in eliminating all racism earlier this week, this particular bugbear is a little more difficult to solve.
Russell Martin is, at least, playing regularly for Norwich City at the head of the English Championship after recovering from injury.
But Grant Hanley’s move to Newcastle United is not bringing the first-team outings he would like and that is a headache at a time when establishing continuity seems the only answer to dealing with a damaging lack of quality and depth.
There is no superstar in the team to rely upon, but our grumpy little manager does not exactly get the juices flowing with heartstopping rallying calls and there is even a doubt over who should play at centre-forward.
Bearing all that in mind, it seems foolhardy to even suggest a spirit of tentative optimism going into Saturday night’s home qualifier with Lithuania and the visit to Slovakia three days later.
Yet, here we are. Perhaps a few days of sun, Minervois and cassoulet in my current base in the French walled city of Carcassonne have addled the mind or simply rekindled the old wanderlust ahead of Russia 2018.
But the warm air and lamplight of the citadel has me thinking there are, at least, some reasons to be cheerful.
BIG SAM AND ALL THAT
No matter the difficulties we may face, it could be worse. We could be England. All that money, all those resources, all those players and still a disjointed shambles.
The day Sam Allardyce took the Three Lions job, the alarm bells were ringing.
Their director of football, Dan Ashworth, in keeping with recent fashions for guff and psychobabble, had been developing an internal culture known as England DNA.
Big Sam scrunched all that up right at the start. The delicious sting that cost the silly braggart his job proved he was never, ever the right man for it.
Joey Barton and Rangers have been a ripsnorting success by comparison.
Interim manager Gareth Southgate does not even seem to believe in himself as a leader of men, but he is in charge for our trip to Wembley and — group favourites as they undoubtedly remain — there cannot be a better time to get at England.
GORDON STRACHAN SEEMS WILLING TO DROP THOSE WHO FAILED LAST TIME
This almost has the feeling of a new Scotland team following the disappointments of the Euro 2016 qualifying programme.
The management’s tiresome hardluck stories suggested they might stick with the same players but only three of the side from the costly defeat in Georgia 12 months earlier were picked to start the 5-1 win in Malta in this campaign.
Players in form and in their club sides must always form the nucleus of the national side — and Strachan must stick with that.
LESSONS WERE LEARNED IN MALTA
Going in 1-1 at half-time was no good, but those 45 minutes provided useful information.
Oliver Burke, our great hope, is not to be played through the middle, for example.
As he was moved out right and Robert Snodgrass took a central role, Barry Bannan and Darren Fletcher made effective positional changes in midfield, too, with Bannan proving to be an unexpected weapon as a playmaker.
SNODGRASS RETURN
The Hull City player looked like he could be something special for Scotland before the knee injury which kept him out for 15 months and he is proving it now. His three goals in Malta have been matched by a good scoring return at his club. He is our strongest option amongst a number of capable attacking midfielders.
LEIGH GRIFFITHS IS AVAILABLE
Chris Martin may have scored in Malta, but he has not been on target at club level this season.
Strachan’s belief in Steven Fletcher no longer appears unshakeable, so it is time to give the prolific Griffiths a go against Lithuania.
OLIVER BURKE HAS HIT THE GROUND RUNNING IN THE BUNDESLIGA
His debut for Red Bull Leipzig against Cologne brought his first goal and he is only going to improve by taking the great leap of moving abroad. Burke (left) was not as impressive in Malta as many suggested, but he is only 18 years old and has the potential to grow throughout this campaign. We should not ask too much of him at this early juncture, but his is a talent worth nurturing. Maybe we should not expect too much of the team either, but, whether through the warrior spirit being invoked by the surroundings of a medieval fortress or gaining Dutch courage from the vineyards of the Languedoc, oddly enough, I feel ready for battle. I’ll see you all at Hampden!