Strachan: ‘I’m still best man for Wembley’
GORDON STRACHAN has insisted he is the right man to lead Scotland at Wembley next month.
The national coach came under significant pressure, internal as well as external, to quit in the wake of the country’s World Cup qualifying draw with Lithuania and defeat by Slovakia.
But after a day-and-ahalf without sleep – and bolstered by the support of his players and managerial peers – he has decided to stay on for November 11 clash with the Auld Enemy, if not beyond.
“When you get good results it makes everybody feel better. With a disappointing result, it is the opposite,” said Strachan.
“I didn’t get any sleep for 36 hours. It goes through your mind for the next day or so.
“You have to sit back and let the tiredness and mental and physical disappointment go away.
“Then it is: ‘Where do we stand? What do we want to do?’”
The conclusion, as far is Strachan is concerned, is to stay in his post and try and resurrect a faltering campaign at the home of the Auld Enemy.
“I love this job,” he said. “I love working with the people, I love bumping into supporters and I get a great response from them.
“People will make decisions later on, but at the moment I just think I am the best man to go down to Wembley with the group and get a result.”
After that, Strachan’s future remains unclear, but he is bullish as he looks forward.
“Do I fear the sack? No, I don’t fear the sack because I’m 59. I’m all right, I’ve got loads to do in my life.
“Do I fear not working with these players? Yes. Do I fear not working with the staff? Yes.
“The other night there you may have heard one or two boos, but that’s part of the deal.’”
The possibility of victory against England provides the perfect motivation for Strachan.
“Wembley is a great opportunity for everybody,” he said.
“I’ve spoken to the players and they, like me, want to make the fans proud of them, and want to keep the dream going.
“I want them to feel what it’s like to get to a top tournament, what it’s like to take a group of fans with you. What it’s like to make a whole country proud of you.
“There are times when people are tested and this is a testing time for Scottish football.”
Of course, it would be entirely in keeping with much of Scottish football history to produce an unexpected result.
“Let’s make sure England don’t score,” he said. “If that happens we’ve got a good chance of winning.
“I don’t even think we have to change that much, to be honest.
“If we get 10, maybe 20% improvement, then we can look ahead with positivity towards the remainder of the campaign.”