Craig Levein loses out on The Saturdays
Some Friday night games for the Tartan Army
The fixture list in full:
2010
Friday 3 September - Lithuania v Scotland
Tuesday 7 September – Scotland v Liechtenstein
Friday 8 October - Czech Republic v Scotland
Tuesday 12 October - Scotland v Spain
2011
Saturday 3 September - Scotland v Czech Republic
Tuesday 6 September - Scotland v Lithuania
Saturday 8 October - Liechtenstein v Scotland
Tuesday 11 October - Spain v Scotland
8 games in the campaign and only two being played on a Saturday? International football is definitely changing and it will be interesting to see how the switch to Friday and Tuesday games will affect the Scottish side.
Friday the 3rd of September is when it all kicks off with a trip to Tynecastle, err Lithuania and this is quickly followed by Liechtenstein at home on the Tuesday night.
Czech Republic away and Spain at home (again, a Tuesday night) will be tough games putting more pressure on the team to pick up points in the opening two matches.
After the last campaign, Kenny Miller was quick to moan about playing the big team (Holland) at home in midweek so it will be interesting to see if Miller will moan to Levein about the Spanish tie taking place in midweek.
We expect Miller to keep quiet this time around!
After the Spanish lose at Hampden (c’mon, live a little for now), Scotland will have a crucial home double-header in September 2011 where 6 points could go a long way to securing qualification or a play-off spot.
This is followed by a trip to Lichtenstein before concluding in Spain on Tuesday 11th October 2011.
Wow, that is a long way away isn’t it? Those fans who were looking forward to the Spanish trip have a long time to wait!
So, the fixture list, some initial thoughts:
It is very drawn out, over a year to play effectively 4 double headers. This could be good or bad I suppose. Almost a year of a break between the first group of games and second group is a long time.
Finishing with two away ties isn’t ideal although if the Spanish have top place sewn up by their last game, it could be ripe for the Scots to plunder a point or three.
6 points need to be grabbed in September 2011.
Can Scotland at least grab a play-off place?
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Must admit i enjoy the Internationals on a saturday good atmosphere in City of Glasgow when this is the case.
Agreed Danny, it is good that there are no Friday night games at Hampden .
There is something to be said about a night game with a big crowd under the floodlights but Saturday at 3pm is still what you want.
Also have to say Bill Shankly once commented on the possibility of Friday night games & to be honest have been to a few & it was quite good ,the reserve games were always on a friday night up untill the 70s & the crowds were 5,000 – 10,000 IMHO SPL clubs should have looked into this or @ least given it anouther go.