Scotland Aims for World Cup Qualification Against Greece
World Cup Qualifying: Scotland vs. Greece
Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow Date: Thursday, 9 October Time: 19:45 BST
Coverage: Watch on BBC Scotland, listen on BBC Radio Scotland & Radio Nan Gaidheal, and follow live text coverage on the BBC Sport website & app.
Scotland is determined to secure maximum points this month to ensure their World Cup qualifying fate remains "in our own hands," according to assistant coach Steven Naismith.
The Scots, who last qualified for a World Cup in 1998, are set to host Greece on Thursday and Belarus on Sunday, having earned four points from their first two fixtures in Group C.
Scotland's final two qualifying matches will take place away against Greece and at home against Denmark in November.
"Qualifying for major tournaments is crucial," said Naismith, who has 51 caps for Scotland. "We’ve managed to reach two European Championships and narrowly missed out on the last World Cup, which has fueled our determination to qualify this time around."
He added, "Knowing that we can make it to the World Cup only adds to the pressure and motivation for the players, especially as they continue to progress at their clubs. The confidence within the squad is higher than I have ever seen it. In our first camp, we accomplished a lot, and it’s vital that we continue this momentum to ensure we are in a strong position come November. We want to feel confident that our fate is in our own hands and that we can achieve our goal."
Naismith highlighted the improvement of players like Aaron Hickey, who is recovering from a challenging period and showing remarkable progress. He also noted the leadership of players such as John McGinn and Andy Robertson, who have enjoyed success at the club level. "In terms of performance, we are in an excellent place," he stated.
However, Naismith acknowledged the lessons learned from their last encounter with Greece. Earlier this year, Greece defeated Scotland 3-0 at the national stadium, which resulted in Scotland being relegated to the second tier of the Nations League.
"We have a clear understanding of what needs to improve and what our strengths are as a team," he explained, expressing confidence in their preparation for the upcoming match.