by Ben Blake reporting from Glasgow
SCOTLAND MANAGER GORDON Strachan is confident that home fans can create an intimidating atmosphere for Ireland when the teams meet at Celtic Park tomorrow night.
The FAI were allocated 3,500 tickets for the crunch Euro 2016 qualifier in Glasgow but double that are expected to make the trip after many supporters bought tickets for the home section.
Strachan knows all about big nights at the home ground of the Scottish Premiership champions having managed them for four years and, despite the club’s strong Irish connections, he insists that the Tartan Army will make themselves heard.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference at the five-star Mar Hall Hotel Golf & Spa Resort where the squad are based, he said: “The atmosphere is not going to be a problem for both sides. I think it will inspire us. How Ireland deal with I couldn’t tell you.
“We had a lovely test at Ibrox recently (against Georgia) and I thought the atmosphere was great there as well. I thought the Scottish fans turned Ibrox into the home of Scotland for the day.
“And we will do that tomorrow. We will turn Celtic Park into the home of Scottish football. You’ll know fine well you’re in Scotland tomorrow night, that is for sure.
“Tomorrow, it’s not going to be Celtic Park. Tomorrow is Scotland’s park. Tomorrow there is 50-odd thousand Scotland fans in there. That is Scotland’s territory tomorrow, and they’re coming into Scotland’s territory.”
Scotland trail Ireland by three points after as many games in Group D but put in spirited performances in the draw with Poland and narrow defeat to Germany.
And although they will be going out to win against Ireland, it’s not a must according to Strachan.
“If you look at it and take out Gibraltar, every game has been just one goal,” he said. “Any result is only one goal so that’s how tight this group is.
“You can only ask players to perform and we have done that in three games. Whether we think the points we have collected at this point from these performances are right or wrong, it doesn’t matter.
“I think you have to have a look at when we all play each other and see where we’re all standing when we play each other once. Then you will get a better idea how tough the task is after that.”
