Former Scotland manager Craig Brown is confident Gordon Strachan will lead the country to football’s top table once again by qualifying for Euro 2016.
The Scots have not reached a major competition since Brown guided the national team to the World Cup in France 16 years ago.
After last month’s 2-1 defeat in Germany, the Scots must pick up their first points of the qualifying campaign when they face Georgia at Ibrox on Saturday.
But a confident Brown is optimistic of a convincing win against Georgia and progress from a qualifying group which also includes Germany, Poland, Ireland and Gibraltar.
He said: “I am very optimistic we can qualify. We should beat Georgia and I agree with Mark McGhee’s comments that if we want to qualify we have to beat Georgia at home.
“Georgia is not a traditional football power, while most of our key players are available for this match.
“There is a feel-good factor surrounding the team and if ever there was a chance for a resounding victory it is in this forthcoming game.
“I think we have a great chance as I like the football we are playing under Gordon Strachan and we have players, such as Ikechi Anya, who can cause problems for other teams.”
Brown hopes Aberdeen defender Mark Reynolds is given a chance to show what he can do on the international stage.
He said: “I don’t think Mark will start the game, but I hope the situation arises that he can come on and get a cap.
“He has been involved in a couple of squads now and I was disappointed he didn’t get on against Nigeria at Craven Cottage in the summer.
“But hopefully we are leading by a couple of goals on Saturday and Mark can get on to experience some international football as I think he deserves a cap.”
One of the major decisions for Strachan will be over whether he sticks with David Marshall, who performed admirably against Germany, or opts for in-form Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
He added: “I don’t think Gordon will change it. They are both very good goalkeepers but David Marshall did well against Germany so I would expect him to retain his position.
“I rate Craig Gordon very highly and I would like to see him back in the Scotland team at some stage, but not because Marshall has a bad game, just because he is playing so well that they can’t leave him out.
“I am feeling good about the Georgia match, but I think a serious challenge awaits in the midweek game against Poland.”