Scotland almost too intense ahead of Northern Ireland friendly, says Gordon Strachan
Thursday 26 March 2015 12:57, UK
Scotland manager Gordon Strachan said his players aren't holding back ahead of the friendly match against Northern Ireland.
The match has an added importance for Scotland, who will treat it as a warm-up for their March 29 Euro 2016 qualifier against Gibraltar, where they will look to improve on their third place in Group D.
"Looking at the intensity of the training, you got to the stage where you think 'calm down a bit',” Strachan said.
"People are telling me they are all tired, people are telling me they have played 40 games and they are running about non-stop.
"You actually have to stop the training because if you let them go on they would continue on another half hour.
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"I was asking players if they wanted to step out but no, they are not having it.
"If we can take what we had this morning into tomorrow, then I will be more than happy.
"I don't think they have even thought about this as a friendly. There will be an intensity to the game."
Strachan, who over the two games is hoping to give everyone in his squad some game time, declared himself impressed with Bournemouth forward Matt Ritchie who has been called up for the first time.
"His passing, crossing and shooting was good and he blended terrifically well with players. There is lots to like about him.
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"He is playing with the best footballing side in the Championship, Bournemouth.”
And while things are so far going smoothly for Scotland, Strachan warned a group of up and coming Scottish football managers that their path could get bumpy.
A host of football managers watched Strachan's training session outside Glasgow, including Dundee boss Paul Hartley, Alan Archibald of Partick Thistle, Hearts' Robbie Neilson and Norwich City boss Alex Neil, who are part of a group undertaking their UEFA Pro Licence.
Asked if he had any advice for the next generation of managers, the former Celtic, Southampton and Coventry boss did not sugar-coat his reply.
"Get ready for a lot of long nights where you think you are useless," he said.
"You can only be called a good manager or a great manager, like Sir Alex Ferguson and those people, if you can hang in there for a long, long time.
"But it is a good way to learn. The best way to learn is being a manager and making mistakes."
