Wednesday 7 October 2015 12:39, UK
Scotland defender Russell Martin has promised his side will be 'hard but fair' when they face Poland in their European Qualifier on Thursday.
The Norwich star was responding to calls from Poland striker Robert Lewandowski for the referee at Hampden to be 'more diligent' than the man in charge when the sides played out a 2-2 draw in Warsaw last October.
The Bayern Munich striker claimed a tackle from Scotland's Gordon Greer broke his shin pad and he was lucky his leg never suffered the same fate.
But Norwich defender Martin, who is in line for his 22nd cap, insists it was a fantastic tackle and Lewandowski and his fellow team-mates can expect more of the same at Hampden.
Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ, he said: "It was a great tackle. As a defender it's harder to make tackles early in the game these days.
"People always talk about getting in an early tackle and letting them know you are there, but you run the risk of getting booked or sent off the way the game is going in terms of physicality.
"But that was a fantastic tackle. It wasn't even a free kick so if we get the chance to do that again on Thursday then I'm sure someone will take it.
"Lewandowski is one of the best I've played against. His goal record speaks for itself with the form he is in at the minute.
"He is different but as a defender I always look at striker's attributes and think where you can affect them and try and influence them throughout the game.
"Players like him, [Thomas] Muller and [Mario] Gotze of Germany, who are in our group, are all among the top five or six in Europe at the moment so it's up to us to go and stop him.
"I relish the challenge. I enjoy playing against players like that and that is why I have worked so hard throughout my career to test myself against players like that. We are doing it week in week out in the Premier League and this will be no different."
Scotland lost their last two qualifiers against Georgia and Germany last month and lie fourth in Group D, four points behind the Republic of Ireland and six adrift of Poland with Germany two points further clear at the top.
An automatic qualification spot is beyond the Scots and Martin knows Gordon Strachan's side will have to be at their best against the Poles to maintain their challenge for a place in the play-offs.
"We have to go and win the game on Thursday, it's as simple as that," he said. "They are a good side but we have done well against them previously, twice, not too long ago.
"Looking back at the games against Georgia and Germany, they're gone now. It's all about the present and making sure we go into Thursday knowing exactly what we want to do and get what we want from the game."
