 International news thread | |
This thread is for any international news like friendly team news or whatever..
Scotland prepare to face a Portuguese side full of star names on Wednesday hoping to build on recent good performances.
However, after wins over Iceland and Canada, a team that can boast the likes of Luis Figo, Rui Costa and Pauleta represents a major step up in class.
Scotland manager Berti Vogts began his reign in March with a match away to France.
The then-world champions slaughtered Scotland 5-0 to begin a win-less run of six games which was only halted last month in Reykjavik.
Comparisons with the Paris game and the match in Braga against the team ranked 11 in the world are inevitable but Vogts was quick to dismiss the French defeat, and subsequent losses to Nigeria, South Korea and South Africa as experimental exercises.
Vogts asserts that the real start to his work came when Denmark came to Hampden in August.
"My first match was against the Danish side, not the match against France," explained Vogts.
"And the tour to the Far East, that was not the Scottish national team.
"We played very badly against Denmark but after the second half in the Faroes I think the progress started," he continued with reference to the embarrassing 2-2 draw in Toftir.
"I am looking for a good result, good entertainment and a good performance from my team.
"I am very happy with the players and with the situation. The players are always doing so well in the training sessions."
With Rangers skipper Barry Ferguson missing, West Ham defender Christian Dailly will continue in midfield after a good showing against Canada.
That allows Aberdeen's Russell Anderson to pick up his third cap and form a three-man defence with Steven Pressley and Lee Wilkie in front of goalkeeper Robert Douglas.
West Brom's Scott Dobie has been asked to start up front alongside Stevie Crawford in the absence of Steven Thompson.
Celtic's Paul Lambert will skipper the side in central midfield but has been told he will not play for the full 90 minutes.
The wing-back roles positions will be filled by Maurice Ross on the left and Graham Alexander on the right.
And Gary Naysmith is to fill in beside Dailly in the centre of a very defensive line-up.
The Portuguese will be missing English-based duo Hugo Viana and Luis Boa Morte, who both pulled out due to injury.
The home side will also be without any players from top clubs Porto and Boavista, who both played on Monday night.
However, Portugal will represent a real challenge for the Scots, who were hammered 5-0 on their last trip to the Iberian nation in 1993.
Scotland: Douglas, Anderson, Wilkie, Pressley, Alexander, Dailly, Lambert, Naysmith, Ross, Dobie, Crawford. | 
