ONE LAST PUSH
Gordon Strachan warns his players and fans the World Cup job is only half done
GORDON STRACHAN has revealed his Scotland players didn’t celebrate Thursday night’s dramatic late win over Slovakia – because they know their work is only half done.
And the national team boss insisted his squad, which has amassed 13 points from the last 15 to move into pole position for a World Cup qualification play-off next month, are determined to finish the job in Slovenia tomorrow.
Hampden erupted in euphoric scenes after Martin Skrtel’s last-minute own goal clinched the 1-0 win that has put Strachan’s side within 90 minutes of a two-legged shootout for a passport to Russia next summer. But the manager revealed the mood inside the home dressing room immediately after the Group F thriller was a great deal more low key.
Strachan said: “There was a feeling of satisfaction but not much more than that.
“There was no euphoria. It wasn’t that. It’s just satisfaction, a quiet satisfaction. There was no singing and dancing and high five hand-slapping. It really was just a glow of satisfaction.
“What does that tell me? It tells me they
know the game in Slovenia is going to be big. That they need to be ready.
“Darren Fletcher was in there saying, ‘Right lads, we need to be prepared.’
“I thought, ‘Where are you going?’
“Maybe 20 years ago I’d be worried by that statement. But all we did was get back on the bus to the hotel. That was it.”
And Strachan says the celebrations will be on ice until one last victory is secured. He added: “You can tell by the reaction. Thursday was great but there’s a big one coming.”
The manager’s sentiments were echoed by full-back Kieran Tierney who believes it will take another mammoth effort to get over the line.
The Celtic left-back, who has been performing admirably at right-back for the Scots, said: “The job is nowhere near done yet. We still have a massive game to go through. We’ll prepare well for it and go into that game full of confidence.
“We need to be patient. You aren’t going to score every time you go up the park so it’s important to keep the ball.
“We need to make Slovenia run and then break them down gradually.
“At this level there are no easy games. Teams are well organised with great players so we need to be patient.”
And centre-back Charlie Mulgrew added: “International matches are always difficult and this one away from home will be no different.
“But we’re going to give it all we can to try and get a result.
“We’ve got our fate in our own hands. We knew coming in to these two matches we had to win both of them and that is still our focus.
“Sunday’s game will be up there with the biggest I’ve ever played in.
“It’s massive but we’ll play the game and not the occasion. We won’t spend too much time thinking about what the match means to us.
“Instead we’ll just play the game as it unfolds and hopefully we can do the business.”