World Cup qualification failure and another year of humiliating defeats for Scottish clubs in Europe. National team manager Craig Levein knows the reputation of Scottish football has been badly tarnished – once again – in the past 12 months.
But entering his first competitive fixture since replacing George Burley last December, Levein believes a victory against Lithuania in tonight’s Euro 2012 qualifier in Kaunas will help improve the image of the Scottish game across the continent.
Bitterly disappointing away defeats in Macedonia and Norway ended Scotland’s hopes of playing in the World Cup in South Africa and Levein realises the importance of gaining an opening victory this evening.
He said: “The job starts here. The two friendlies have been useful but we are at the important bit now.
“The goal is to try to qualify for the finals of a major competition and that’s the road we embark on now.
“When it comes to competitive games, winning is the only thing that matters. My team selection will be based on that. Playing a qualifier is completely different – there is no messing about here. I will be judged on the results in this section.
“Pragmatism is a good thing. We know Scottish football has taken a few knocks recently with the clubs being knocked out of Europe.
“There is a massive degree of importance being attached to this fixture partly as a result of that. We understand what the national team does will be highlighted even more, if that’s possible.
“I’ve not mentioned it to the players but I don’t need to explain it. They all understand what is going on in Scottish football. We know there is a lot of focus on Scotland here and expectation. But I think that’s a good thing and I feel the country is right behind us.
“Any time I’ve spoken to people, they have been hugely supportive.”
Levein has handed a recall to 40-year-old Rangers defender David Weir at the S. Darius and S. Girenas stadium tonight and reckons his experience will be crucial against Lithuania.
He said: “We have a lot of players who I think can form the basis of a decent side at international level further down the line. The younger players encourage me. I think in three or four years we will have a decent side. But it is also about the here and now. That’s where the players with experience are important to me.
“I feel better with the experienced ones here because once you play 10, 15, 20 games at international level and 10, 15 or 20 games at European level, it means you’ve been through it. The very best players learn from their experiences. So coming to play in Kaunas becomes no big deal. Rather than worrying about anything else, they only think about playing football. Experienced players use expectation as a motivation.”
Steven Naismith will start for Scotland, with Levein leaving James McFadden out of his first competitive line-up. Lee McCulloch is also handed a start ahead of Aberdeen’s Paul Hartley in midfield while Alan Hutton has overcome fitness doubts to take his place at right back.
Barry Robson will play on the opposite flank to Naismith, with Scott Brown and captain Darren Fletcher joining McCulloch in the centre.
Levein had earlier revealed that Kenny Miller would play up front and Allan McGregor retained his place in goal to make it six Rangers players in the team.
SCOTLAND TEAM
McGREGOR (Rangers)
HUTTON (Tottenham)
WEIR (Rangers)
McMANUS (Middlesbrough)
WHITTAKER (Rangers)
BROWN (Celtic)
FLETCHER (Man Utd)
McCULLOCH (Rangers)
ROBSON (Middlesbrough)
NAISMITH (Rangers)
MILLER (Rangers)