World Cup

[monks data]

World Cup Qualifying - Europe | Group Stage

Nov 11, 2016 at 7.45pm UK

England
3-0
Scotland

Sturridge (24'), Lallana (50'), Cahill (61')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Gordon Strachan: 'Scotland need to harness emotion against England'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 10 November 2016

Scotland manager Gordon Strachan talks up the importance of using the emotion of the occasion in a positive manner when his side take on England at Wembley.

Scotland manager Gordon Strachan has warned his side against letting the emotion of the occasion get the better of them when they face England at Wembley in a World Cup qualifier on Friday.

The fixture is the oldest international in football history, and the build-up has been dominated by talk of the passion on show in previous meetings.

Strachan insists that his side will not need firing up to take on their neighbours, but stressed the importance of using that emotion in a positive manner.

"Our players are intelligent enough to understand the fixture. I don't have to show them anything. They know the fixture, it's known throughout the world. The importance of the game is to not be caught up in the emotion of the game, but use the emotion and passion to run further than you've ever run before, to jump higher than you've jumped before, to concentrate more," he told reporters.

"If you get too emotional, you can lose focus. We're looking for that emotion and passion to play better than we've ever played before. It's different for different people, the fans take it different, the coaches take it different, the players take it different. We are the lucky people, especially the ones who are playing. The ones who are supporting can throw themselves headlong into the game. The ones who find it a bit harder are the coaching staff, you need to take a step back and look at it.

"I've been here as a supporter may times, I've been here as a player. I really enjoyed it as a player, I really enjoyed it as a supporter, maybe too much, but management is a wee bit different. The enjoyment comes at the end of the game when you get that glow of satisfaction if your team's performed well. We can't predict the result, all we can deal with is the performance."

Scotland currently sit three points adrift of Group F leaders England.