Well axe won’t stop McGhee being back seat driver
GORDON STRACHAN has revealed that Scotland assistant Mark McGhee’s position with the national team will be unaffected by his sacking from Motherwell, and in fact, he is taking on new responsibilities – as designated driver.
McGhee left the Fir Park club two weeks ago after a poor run of results, but Strachan says that his number two has got over that disappointment and is ready to help his country once again.
“Mark and myself drove up from the Midlands to see Newcastle against Fulham on Saturday,” Strachan said.
“He is driving the car! Mark’s situation actually works better for me because he sees more games.
“He is back, he’s bouncy, he is ready to go again.”
The four-month hiatus since the defeat to England at Wembley has also reinvigorated Strachan.
And he hopes that the inclusion of the uncapped trio of Stuart Armstrong, Ryan Fraser and Tom Cairney can have a similar effect on his squad.
But he feels that the Scots aren’t far away from getting it right on the field, believing his side to have been unlucky so far.
He said: “I looked back at the England game and we played really well. They had three headers on target that went in. No other shots.
“Craig [Gordon] didn’t have a save to make. Things went right for them.
“You can screw yourself up but if you look at it, two minutes changed the outcome of the game.
“You have to put that behind you and get on with it.
“New people have come to the fore, who were not leaving footprints before the England game but they are leaving footprints now.
“If we can get the players into the positions against Slovakia and England and finish off these moves, the world is a different place.”