Scotland assistant coach Mark McGhee takes positives from Italy defeat

Scotland assistant coach Mark McGhee stressed the benefits of their post-season schedule following Sunday's uninspiring 1-0 defeat by Italy.

The Scots failed to build on the momentum of consecutive friendly victories over the Czech Republic and Denmark as they went down 1-0 to Antonio Conte's side.

"We were difficult to beat defensively," said McGhee. "The goalkeeper and the centre-halves were terrific, the rest of us just have to be better going in the other direction.

"There were positive things but you can still learn from negatives. We got loads out of the game. People got opportunities and we learn a bit about them."

Scotland manager Gordon Strachan made several mentions of wider lessons for Scottish football in his post-match assessment after describing his players' passing as "badly off the pace", but McGhee feels domestic managers are now addressing the technical gulf.

Italy had several clear chances before Graziano Pelle's 57th-minute opener but the Azzuri appeared to take their foot off the pedal after the goal, while the Tartan Army were made to wait until the 78th minute to see Matt Ritchie produce their only shot at goal.

Strachan bemoaned the quality of his team's passing and the display could have done little to boost morale ahead of their World Cup qualifying campaign, which begins in Malta in September.

McGhee, however, feels valuable lessons were learned, adding: "This was a friendly game where the outcome was less important than the things we might see within the game. Regardless of the outcome and the result, it was still a worthwhile exercise.

"We also saw negative things: we know we must keep the ball better. We have done that at times during the previous campaign and we know that's the way it has got to be, that possession is such an important factor of performance at this level.

"It was a friendly at the end of a long season, there is a disappointment of not making the Euros and the prospect of having to sit and watch that. So we're all living with those sort of things so therefore the level of performance was probably about what we expected.

"The possession could and should have been better, but there was still effort. We weren't as joined up as we had been in previous games but I think the nature of the game dictated that.

"There are a lot of good young coaches in Scotland and they are preaching that type of football. There's not a lot of long-ball game getting played in the Premiership in Scotland.

"People are trying to play football, teams are setting their stall out to keep the ball. So I think that is something that will improve.

"I have a young Motherwell team that won the Youth Cup and they did it by playing football."

Scotland's most pressing concern is making sure they give a good account of themselves in Metz on Saturday night when they face Euro 2016 hosts France.

"Italy will be a decent team in the Euros but I don't think they will win it. But I think France could," said McGhee.

"I think it will be a much more difficult game, however there will be a big crowd and it will be a better pitch and all those things will help us as well.

"The difficulty of the game and the importance of their last game before the Euros will tune us in as well.

"So I have no fears for the game. Why should we have any fear? We have a group of players capable of a good performance."