Strachan insists he doesn't know how to play for a draw

Scotland boss Gordon Strachan insists he wouldn't know how to play for a draw even if he wanted to – and has said that he already knows what his starting XI will be for Saturday's massive Euro 2016 qualifying clash against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.

Strachan's men hold the advantage over Martin O'Neill's Boys in Green at present as they occupy the third place play-off spot in Group D, two points above their next opponents having already beaten Ireland once in the current campaign – the Tartan Army won 1-0 when the two sides met at Celtic Park in November.

The former Celtic boss described the previous game between the sides as “an occasion” which his players enjoyed more because they won, and he's hoping “a piece of magic” by somebody on the Scottish side will decide it once again. However, some observers believe the temptation is there for Scotland to play for a draw in the Aviva Stadium this weekend.

Strachan dismissed the thought out of hand, though, stating that this game could turn out to be "irrelevant" depending on how the current qualifying campaign ends, adding:
 

“I can't remember ever, any manager telling me – and that's going back 40 years – this is the way you play for a draw. I don't think I've ever come across [a manager who has tried it], I don't think I've tried it myself in a game.

“We'll try and win the game, we'll see what happens after that. There are situations where you'd take the draw, there are situations then again where the point wouldn't be good enough. Again, as I explained earlier, you never know what the point total's going to be [at the end of qualifying].

“But sure we'll play the game, and you get your point or your three points or your no points and you get on with it. As I said to you, it might have no relevance to where we end up but it might be important.”

The Scotland boss confirmed that he had his team picked already, but wouldn't divulge who would start against Ireland – though he did hint at making at least two changes from the side which thrashed minnows Gibraltar 6-1 in their last competitive outing back in March.

“We know what the team is going to be, but we'll tell the players tomorrow,” said Strachan. “There'll be a few disappointed players, I know that...but I have to pick a team that's right for tomorrow, who I think is right for this game and is the time right for the one or two players who will come in for this game.”

Strachan has overseen a turnaround in fortunes since taking charge of Scotland in 2013. It was mentioned in the press conference that travelling Scottish fans are optimistic of seeing their side pick up positive results on the road for the first time in a long time, while the team spirit has also improved immeasurably in that period. The 58 year old has put this down to one thing: trust.

“I think it's trust, the trust helps,” said Strachan. “That's been built up. The hard work we've put in all over the pitch, that helps.

“The best sign of team spirit I think is not nights out, golf days or going around in go-carts, it's actually winning games of football and celebrating that. Everybody makes them all feel better.

“So the general feeling, we're feeling good to a certain point,” cautioned Strachan. “But they're always wary that that can go, and that's why it's been good over the last couple of years – that they know that that can go, that they need to keep working.”