Can Scotland get the result they need in Spain?

Scotland face a tough trip to Spain in their last European Championship qualifier later today.

The Scots are still in with a chance of gaining a play-off place but need to better the Czech Republic’s result in Lithuania.

It won’t be easy but you can  never write off the Scots.

Improvement

Since Craig Levein has came in as manager the countries national side has improved immensely. Levein has instilled a confidence in the players that was previously missing and at times the team has achieved some decent results.

Unlucky

I have to say Scotland should be two points better off than they are right now. They were robbed in their 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic at Hampden Park. The referee produced two awful decisions in the dying minutes that cost them. Even as an Englishman I felt for them, especially as I had a bet on Scotland to win!

Players

Scotland now seem to be producing a better class of player. In the seventies and eighties Scotland produced some fantastic talents, who graced the top teams of English football. And although they are not quite at that stage again just yet they are starting to produce some really good players.

For example Charlie Adam. He took the Premier League by storm with Blackpool last season and earned himself not just a call-up but a move to Liverpool. He is now a mainstay of the Scotland midfield.

Bright

Scotland boss Craig Levein is regarded as one of the bright new breed of British head coaches. He has brought new ideas to the Scottish team and a lot of the time his players have responded to those new ideas.

Levein is believed to have turned down a number of opportunities to manage club sides in England because he has the belief that brighter times lie ahead for the Scottish national side. Levein has saw the development of the team in recent months and thinks he can take it further.

Levein has had his critics but he is a relatively young manager and is still learning his trade at international level. Games like tonight’s will only make him a better coach.

Optimism

Another striking difference to Scotland teams of the past is that there seems to be great optimism within the country that the team is going in the right direction. That Levein could be the right man for the job and that the team are making progress.

A lot of Scottish fans and journalists are saying that even if they don’t qualify for the European Championship they have a lot of potential for the World Cup in 2014. And I don’t think that optimism is misplaced.

Best

Despite optimism about their team I’m sure even Scotland fans would say it will be difficult for them to get a result in Alicante against Spain. Spain are the World Champions and have a 100 per cent record in qualifying.

If Scotland do get anything in Spain it will probably be regarded as their best ever result. People have been saying Spain will put some of their reserves out and they will take it easy on Scotland. Spain have got reserves that would get into most international sides in world football.

The likes of Barcelona’s Thiago Alcantara and Manchester City’s David Silva are regarded as reserves when everybody is fit for Spain. That is just frightening.

It will be difficult but this football and we all know that anything can happen in football. Scotland might not even need to get a result if Lithuania can defeat the Czech Republic. The Czechs haven’t exactly been brilliant in qualifying and you just never know.

Proud

No matter what happens in Alicante Scotland should be proud of their efforts in recent games. Craig Levein and his players are starting to restore pride in their countries national team. Hopefully in the near future everybody involved with the Tartan Army will be rewarded for their hard work.

Can Scotland pull off a shock result in Spain?