McLeish's selection headache

Scotland v Italy live on Sky Sports 1 from 4pm on Saturday

By James Dall   Last updated: 15th November 2007

alex mcleish scotland appointment press conference

McLeish: Believes in players

With these groups of players I can see a swagger in the guys. And I know we can win this game

Alex McLeish
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Scotland boss Alex McLeish admits he has a real selection headache ahead of the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Italy.

McLeish is currently preparing his men for a monumental game in Scotland's footballing history, where a win would see them progress to next summer's finals in Austria and Switzerland.

The former Rangers boss has a 25-man squad at his disposal, and with every player chomping at the bit for a start against the World champions, McLeish admits he has some key decisions to make.

"Everybody has declared themselves fit; they all deserve to be here. Anyone of them players - no doubt about it," he told Sky Sports News.

Nucleus

"But we have had a nucleus of players that has formed a bond over the past few games, and will form the backbone for the Italian game.

"With these groups of players I can see a swagger in the guys. And I know we can win this game.

"I have now got the selection problem - who to leave out. Picking a team is probably going to be very difficult."

Scotland have not qualified for the finals of a major international tournament since the 1998 World Cup but McLeish insists that should they not qualify this time around, it would not be a complete disaster.

Successful campaign

"We may not [qualify], what happens if we don't? I don't think we should be even thinking in those terms," he added.

"If we don't do this - and we may not do it - then we have succeeded in getting more points that anybody ever imagined we would get.

"It has been a successful campaign, regardless of what happens."