SCOTLAND assistant boss Mark McGhee reckons the key to success for the national team is sophistication.

Gordon Strachan’s right-hand man has played a key role in the revival of the national team and has listened to the theories for the relative success over the past 18 months.

Strachan’s passion and tactical nous have been cited. His man-management skills, his simplicity over instructions to the players in the group.

But McGhee insists it’s more about sophistication – the suave European style, embracing the more romantic footballing cultures which have been ignored by British teams for too long.

McGhee said: “Gordon has demanded passion to come and play for Scotland and the recognition that it is important, it really does matter.

“That is hugely important.

“But one of the things I felt when I first went into  the job, having watched a lot of European football over the years, being involved in it when I went to places such as Slovakia with Motherwell against European teams, everywhere I would go, they had played a much more sophisticated brand of football.

“The movement between wide players, midfield players and strikers was so much more elaborate than I had seen British teams, who had played in straight lines.

“We were determined that, as well as the passion, we wanted to bring a more international, European and sophisticated type of football with more movement and variety.

“Gordon has been determined to do that and it has worked very well for us.

”For example, that’s one of the reasons why Gordon Greer came in for Grant Hanley in Poland.

“I see Gordon a lot as I live in Brighton and I see a bit of Brighton and they defend with composure. We knew we’d require that when we played in Poland.

“When we were under pressure, we couldn’t just be scything the ball clear or couldn’t just be booting the ball clear into the air.

Shaun Maloney celebrates his goal in the 2-2 draw in Poland
Shaun Maloney celebrates his goal in the 2-2 draw in Poland

“We had to defend with composure and Gordon can do that.

“As a team, we’re doing that and we’re passing the ball from the back in those pressurised situations. It does make a difference.”

Not that McGhee is getting carried away.

The down-to-earth approach of the manager, his assistant and No.3 Stuart McCall will ensure no one starts to get above themselves, either in the dressing room or in the stands.

McGhee uses ‘cautious optimism’ as the phrase for the current position of the national team and points to the tightness of Group D and the potential for twists-and-turns as the reason for tempering enthusiasm.

He said: “Not a lot has happened. We’ve been beaten in Germany and, suddenly, the Republic of Ireland have made that look like a bad result.

“We won against Georgia and everyone expected us to do that.

“The Poland game was a huge test. Looking into that game, it was a test of how we could do.

“We passed that test, regardless of circumstances within the game.

“We dominated for long periods, we could have lost it in the end, but generally, we’ve come through the test.

“We’re optimistic but not getting carried away and that’s not rhetoric.

“We can’t afford to feel anything else. The Republic, Wales and Northern Ireland have almost put us in the shadow with their results but maybe that’s a good thing.”

Of course, Strachan, McGhee and McCall will be unable to halt the juggernaut of optimism if the team manage to record a famous win over the Republic of Ireland next month.

Victory over Martin O’Neill’s side at Celtic Park would push the Scots into a terrific early position but McGhee refuses to tag the contest a must-win at this stage and says it would be wrong to start singling out individual matches as the pivotal ones in the section.

He said: “The Republic of Ireland games will be hugely significant but I certainly won’t get sucked into thinking the first game is a must-win game.

“Both teams will take a huge advantage if one wins but it’ll be game-on if it’s a draw.”

However, it is clear the fires burn within the coach to take the nation to France 2016, not just for the squad, but for the supporters, too.

The Tartan Army are desperate to end their major tournament drought and McGhee insists it would be fitting for the fans to make the trip across the English Channel.

Speaking on Alan Brazil’s Talksport show, he said: “We had that friendly against Nigeria at Fulham and when I was walking off the pitch I said to Gordon, ‘Imagine going to France or any tournament with this lot’.

“They are absolutely magnificent and, everywhere they go, they get complimented for their friendliness from the locals.

“It’s just brilliant and they are all part of it.

“We really enjoyed the atmosphere in Poland the other night, then you have the Irish supporters.

“Football never ceases to amaze you with the passion the supporters have for it. It’s absolutely brilliant.”

McGhee: Beating Ireland is not a must

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