Levein not fussed by sluggish Scots

Craig Levein insisted Scotland are still on course to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, despite a disappointing round of results.

A stuttering start, which has seen them collect just two points from a possible six at home to Serbia and Macedonia – including a 1-1 draw against the latter on Tuesday night – has already caused some to question whether qualification for the tournament proper is already slipping away.

However, Levein remained defiant and suggested that his side’s performances have been strong and impressive despite the scoreboard – pointing out that there is still a long way to go in the qualification process.

“If you look at the table it doesn’t look damaging at all,” he told reporters.

“It isn’t as bad as people might make out. I am very positive about where we are going.

“We would much rather be sitting with four points but what’s done is done. The important thing is picking up points in the next match.

“I don’t know what it will need, I don’t know how many points it will take to qualify, what I do know is there are 24 left.

“There are three teams on four points, we are two points behind and for me there is no need to get worried about the situation just now.”

Levein mused on his tactical decisions, suggesting that the Scots may be more successful when playing away with a more rigid system, and lamented the team’s poor start against Macedonia.

He continued: “We played against a decent side and we probably played into their hands a little bit by playing so many attacking players and leaving ourselves vulnerable on the counter-attack.

“We will have to get victories from somewhere – I accept that and playing away from home and sitting in might suit us.

“We struggled to get going (against Macedonia). The second half was better than the first but it was a struggle.

“You saw in the last two games that this group is going to be tight indeed.

“We didn’t get our game going in an attacking sense and losing that early goal put us on the back foot and it was a bit of a struggle after that.”