Eck’s glass is half-full –- but there might be some pain ahead
Like a good dentist reaching for his drill, Alex McLeish was kind enough to warn of imminent short-term discomfort.
But he did so while selling the long-term benefits of the treatment about to be applied.
And if his assessment of the first match of his Scotland return, the 1-0 home loss to Costa Rica, suggested of a manager being left with as many questions as answers, there was also bullishness about the patient’s prognosis in the coming months.
“I am sorry there might have to be a wee bit of pain before we can go forward,” he said ahead of Tuesday’s friendly in Hungary.
“I know when I look at the video of the game, my cup is going to be half-full.
“I say that because Friday was a mixed bag.
“Despite the war cry of hightempo and high-pressing in the dressing-room, they started too slowly. “They got a bit of stage fright. “But the second half was good. “We made chances and should have finished with at least a draw.”
How then do you account for the boos that could be heard ringing round Hampden Park at the final whistle?
“Listen, from the second half performance, maybe it was a bit harsh,” said McLeish.
“Was the first half still in their minds? Possibly.
“There were flashes in the first half, but not the tempo I was looking for or what they showed me in training.
“So on-going, they should know that’s not going to be acceptable and I do expect a reaction to that in Hungary on Tuesday night. “The players definitely care. “There are a lot of new guys and they’re probably in there thinking ‘was that my fault?’
“But it is my job now to show them the good things.
“That’s the stuff that empowers them and gives them the evidence they can do it.
“McKenna, for example, had a decent game, good switches of play, he was up tonight on people, it was a sound debut.
“I’m sure the centre-backs will look at the goal and agree someone should be picking up the one guy who comes in the box and scores.
“It’s just about being a little more streetwise.”
The absence of any Celtic players in the starting line-up – there were half-a-dozen against England last June – offers an easy mitigation, especially as Stuart Armstrong and Callum McGregor made an instant impact when introduced off the subs bench.
“They made a good impact, they increased the tempo, got further forward,” he said.
“That gelling, knowing what each other is doing helps but I’m looking for other people to challenge the theory we need a Celtic core.
“The Celtic players have been instrumental in Scotland’s fortunes over the past few months of Gordon’s era.
The results came thicker and faster with the great form of the Celtic players.
“You know what you’re going to get from them – it’s up to others to show they can reach that standard.
“It’s OK saying everyone is here on merit because of what they’re doing for their clubs, but international level is another step up.
“Can they step up there and not have stage fright?
“Can they excel? “That’ll be the judgment.” A judgement which will not be arrived at overnight
“There are some young guys new to it who don’t have all the answers, 21-year-olds who are just into it.
“Oli McBurnie coming from Barnsley, McTominay coming from Man United.
“He is not going to come in and play like George Best and that is where we are going to have to manage expectation levels.”
With John McGinn of Hibs likewise impressing off the bench against the Costa Ricans with a high tempo display, the new national coach admits he is minded to go with more home-based players in Budapest.
“I already know some of the team I will play, not them all, and there will be more from Scottish clubs involved,” he said.
“We are deciding what to do at the back.
“We don’t have a lot of right-siders in terms of centre-backs and we have a very young rookie in, Jack Hendry, who I wanted to see training with the squad and see how he fits in.”
McLeish, meanwhile, has hinted Andy Robertson could be his long-term choice as captain, the Liverpool left-back having been handed the armband when Charlie Mulgrew was substituted.
“We’ll definitely look at it. Andy excelled on Friday night, in the second half especially.
“He showed us just what a top player he is, he’s part of that brilliant Liverpool team and they all trust Andy as much as he trusts them.
“We’ve got a great player in there. We’re thankful we’ve got him.
“We don’t have superstars, as such, but we have to look to guys like Andy Robertson as leaders, guys to look up to and try and emulate what he’s done.”