Naisy knows Scots must start Nations League with a victory
Steven Naismith says Scotland will need to play with their heads as well as their hearts to beat Albania at Hampden tomorrow night. National manager Alex McLeish has made it clear the players have had the need to open the Nations League campaign with a win hammered home to them. But, while buying into the motivational message, the Hearts striker says the Belgian defeat has reiterated the need to be cool under pressure. “International football, in general, is more of a chess game than club football,” he said. “It is about waiting until the opportunity is right and there is going to have to be a bit of patience there. “I don’t think we can underestimate them. “If you look back at their competitive games over the last two campaigns, they have been a good team. “A lot of their players play in Italy and are comfortable on the ball. When they have it, we’ll need to be solid. “It’s your first game of the campaign and you want to get off to a good start, but it is about us setting the tempo we want to play at rather than the opposition setting it. “I wouldn’t say winning the group is a definite must, but we are looking at it in a confident way. “Winning the group has got to be the aim. “There is a very good selection in the squad of
young guys who don’t have any fear. “It is more about them wanting to make their stamp on the national team than worrying about being in the starting line-up. “You have to be positive about there being two routes. “In my time in the squad, this is probably the best chance we’ve had and you have to take advantage of that. We have to grasp it. “Although the Belgium result was punishing, there is a lot of good to come from it.” At 31, Naismith is closing in on a half century of caps but, he revealed, that looked a long way away when he was originally omitted from the squad for the September double header, his call-up only coming when Oli McBurnie had to pull out through injury. “During the summer and in the last campaign, when I wasn’t really involved, it did take its toll,” he said. “Coming back in starts from doing well at club level. The manager spoke to me and said he saw me being involved. I have loved being back.” Naismith’s fellow forward Johnny Russell has, meanwhile, pledged to put country before his club, MLS outfit Sporting Kansas City. “Our play-offs run through November and there will be a clash if I am called up to play again,” he said. “It is going to be awkward, but you have to play for your country. I think those are the rules anyway, but it is an honour to play for your country and you have to take it. “It is one for the managers to sort out. I will stay out of it. “The main thing is getting to the play-offs first.”