Gordon Strachan content with Scotland's build-up to World Cup campaign
Saturday 4 June 2016 23:51, UK
Scotland boss Gordon Strachan is content with his squad's warm-up preparations so far ahead of the World Cup qualifying campaign, which starts in September.
Strachan's side, buoyed by friendly wins over the Czech Republic and Denmark in March, were left chastened after they failed to register a shot on target in the 1-0 defeat to Italy in Malta last Sunday.
Although Scotland will not be at Euro 2016, they will provide the opposition for star-studded hosts France in Metz on Saturday, which suits Strachan, whose next game will the first Group F qualifier in Malta on September 4.
And the former Celtic boss reckons the recent double-header has been invaluable as he bloods new players and adapts to different styles ahead of the competitive challenges on the horizon.
"I am glad we took the four games on, glad we are playing France because I wouldn't like to have left after the Italy game with two days of training," Strachan said.
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"That will be of benefit. Only time will tell if it has helped us to qualify for the World Cup.
"We have had two results, one defeat, one goal against. We would love to have played better football but we are experimenting, finding things out.
"While other teams are practising for the Euros, we can practice for the World Cup - we are three-quarters of the way through it.
"We have learned so much about the new players and been able to discuss, and get on the coaching field to work on playing against new systems in order to get these problems sorted so that when we come together in late August we are ready for it."
Meanwhile, Sunderland striker Steven Fletcher, who spent the second half of last season on loan to Marseille, refuted claims from a French journalist that Scotland were too physical.
"We class ourselves as a football team, we try to pass the ball and try to attack as much as we can," Fletcher said.
"We have some good young players coming into the team who have a lot of ability so hopefully we can make it a good game."
