Gordon Strachan stays calm in build-up to Scotland's World Cup Qualifier in Slovenia
Sunday 8 October 2017 16:48, UK
Scotland's players won't be protected from the "media frenzy" of Sunday's crucial World Cup Qualifier in Slovenia, says Gordon Strachan.
Victory in Ljubljana in a match live on Sky Sports Football will guarantee second spot in Group F and should be enough for a play-off place, with eight of the nine best second-placed teams qualifying.
"We know how important it is to everybody because we're getting texts and emails wishing us good luck from friends and people we haven't heard from in a while," Strachan said in Saturday's press conference.
"These players are used to it. It's a big game but I don't think I should shield them from anything. You can enjoy the media frenzy, the excitement of other people.
"The players have had a balance, whether they've had to take body blows or they're giving body blows. You couldn't tell the difference in our camp. They've had a journey to make to get back here.
"Tomorrow the match-day feelings come in. Unless you've been a manager, you've not got a clue what that's like so I won't try to describe it to you. But as soon as you open your eyes in the morning your body knows there's a game on."
It remains a tall order for the Scots against a team that pushed England all the way at Wembley on Thursday before losing out to Harry Kane's late winner.
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Slovenia may be in fourth spot, three points behind their visitors this weekend, but they have not conceded a single goal at home during their qualifying campaign.
"This is the hardest game now," added Strachan. "It's not just at the back (they're good). It's all over the pitch. They're physically strong, technically good.
"From what we've seen so far, it's similar to a 4-4-2, they've got good players up front, they make sure there's very little room in the middle of the park."
Following their last-gasp win over Slovakia thanks to Martin Skrtel's own goal at Hampden Park, Strachan will be deciding who to call upon from the same squad, although winger Ryan Fraser will be missing because of hamstring problem.
"As a manager, you think 'what we're doing is working' but that doesn't mean you don't think about freshening things up," he said.
"Sometimes you can sniff who's really ready to go again and the ones who're ready to go, but their body's maybe not at the maximum. But I don't think that's going to be a problem."
