Levein aiming to slay Hampden jinx with winning start

Scotland boss Craig Levein is desperate to end his country’s Hampden hoodoo as he looks to build momentum by getting his managerial reign off to a winning start against the Czech Republic on Wednesday.

The new manager is keen to end a wretched run of friendly results which has seen Scotland go 14 years without a win at their national stadium.

His men face the Czechs – a side they will also face in their qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 – on Wednesday night and he wants an instant response in his first match in charge.

“I’m not going into the game thinking I want to give everyone a run-out,” Levein said. “I’d love to win it, that’s pretty straightforward. It’s not a competitive match and the be-all and end-all but for everyone’s sake it would be good to put on a good performance and win.”

The new manager, who played 16 times for his country, also hinted that he will ditch the attacking, expansive football preferred during the reign of his unsuccessful predecessor George Burley.

“Expansive football comes when people are confident and the players know each other and trust the system they are playing. That might have to wait, but I hope not. But the most important thing is that we win the game.

“I see a spine of the team as we have good players. I’m not kidding people on by saying we will become one of the top ten teams in the world. We have only won three games in two years so there is a lot of work to do.

“But I wouldn’t have taken the job if I didn’t believe we could qualify for the Euros.”

Levein took the unusual step of announcing his planned starting line-up on the eve of the match and there was no place for Rangers striker Kris Boyd, who, along with club-mate Lee McCulloch, has returned to the national squad after quitting international football when Burley was in charge.

Kenny Miller will lead the attack with Graham Dorrans earmarked to come in if James McFadden fails a late fitness test.

“I’ve tried to make it clear that I see it as a new chapter,” Levein said. “I know some people will resent the fact that I picked players that wouldn’t play for George.

“If they decide that they want to play for Scotland, which they have done, they need to be prepared for whatever comes their way. But I would ask the people watching to remember they are playing for their country.”

Levein also confirmed that he has imposed a booze ban on his players after some were involved in a drinking session between the two legs of a World Cup play-off with Holland Wgame last year.

Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor were the main culprits and later banned from national duty but Levein insists it won?t be an issue this time.

He added: “I don’t see it as a big deal as it’s been like that with every club I’ve been at. The players are here to be play football. It’s not a story for me, we are here to play football and in preparation for a football game, alcohol isn?t the right way to prepare.”

Lee Wallace was named at left-back in Levein’s first team selection but he is also an injury doubt and Dundee United’s Paul Dixon will come in if he fails to prove his fitness.

Andy Webster earns his first cap in four years when he partners Gary Caldwell in the heart of defence.

Scotland team

Craig Gordon, Alan Hutton, Gary Caldwell, Andy Webster, Lee Wallace, Barry Robson, Scott Brown, Darren Fletcher, Kevin Thomson, James McFadden, Kenny Miller.