Scotland assistant coach John Carver is confident the national team can handle the level of expectation heading into this weekend’s key World Cup qualifier against Israel in front of a full Hampden Park.
The National Stadium is sold out for the fixture as Steve Clarke’s side look to take a major step towards securing second spot in Group F by beating the Israelis.
Israel sit only a point behind Steve Clarke’s side with four games remaining.
Denmark have a seven-point advantage at the top and look all but certain to grab the automatic spot for next year’s World Cup, while Scotland, Israel and Austria are all jostling for second spot which would earn a place in the play-offs.
Scotland drew 1-1 when they met Israel in Tel Aviv but Carver hopes the crowd can play their part on Saturday evening as they chase maximum points.
He said: “We’ve got to be calm as well because we know what’s at stake.
“We’ve got the momentum, we’re in the driving seat because we’ve turned it around slightly and it’s back in our hands.
“We now need to keep it there and keep distance between ourselves, Israel and Austria.
“So we have to be calm. We have to try to find a way to break them down and win the game.
“We’ve discussed that – we’ve got one or two ideas – and we’ve also brought in Austin MacPhee, the set play specialist who has done a great job at Aston Villa.
“They’ve scored from a number of set plays which is something, in fairness, we’ve not been great at. So that might give us an edge on Saturday.
“These players have shown since I arrived that they can handle an occasion, like they did against England at Wembley and like they did in Austria when there was so much at stake. They handled the situation.
“So I think they can handle the full house and the occasion.
“But we have to stay calm – we might have to be patient.
“The fans showed in the last game against Moldova at home, when we were expected to win by three or four, that they stayed with the team.
“We need that again on Saturday and I’m sure we’ll get it. They will be well lubricated but if they can help us get us across the line and keep that gap between ourselves and Israel it will make a big difference.”
Carver admitted he was surprised to see Scotland boss Clarke come in for some criticism after last month’s 2-0 loss in Denmark – a fourth game in succession without a victory.
A 1-0 success against Austria in Vienna has given the national team fresh impetus and Carver hopes the result has helped silence Clarke’s critics.
He said: “It’s very frustrating.
“I have to be honest, since I’ve come in I’ve not really seen the fans be critical of what Steve has tried to do.
“There has been more pressure from the media guys.
“That’s just my honest opinion from the outside, coming in and having not been involved in Scotland before. But I think Steve is big enough and he can handle it and deal with it.
“We are going into a situation now where we are playing against Israel on Saturday and we’ve got a full house.
“We haven’t had a full house for a long time.
“That is a sign of what Steve has done and what the fans want to see.
“If you give them a product, they will follow you all over the world.
“I’ve seen that when I was growing up as a kid.
“The Tartan Army went everywhere in the world, wherever they were playing they were there in their numbers, in their droves.
“I sense that this could be a time when that could be coming back again.
“It would be great if it did happen but, like I say, the only real pressure I’ve seen is not from the public but from media guys and you might not like that but that’s just my honest opinion.”
Carver, meanwhile, believes the lack of call-offs for the double-header against Israel and the Faroe Islands is testament to the unity in the Scotland camp.
He added: “I’ve seen that from the first day I walked in the changing room and saw the way the guys were, saw how they were on the training ground.
“That’s the atmosphere. That’s what Steve created.
“He’s created this environment where players want to be here, they want to be part of it, they don’t want to miss out.
“Cast your mind back to the summer, the guys who were left out of the squad were so disappointed because they had been part of it for most of the build-up to the Euros.
“They were disappointed and nobody wants to be left out. So it helps Steve when he’s selecting the team, selecting squad of players, because nobody wants to miss out.”
