Berra hopes to use friendly to stake Scotland starting place

Christophe Berra is aiming to use Scotland's friendly in Prague to force his way back into the starting line-up.

Berra did not start a competitive game under Gordon Strachan until the dead rubber in Gibraltar at the end of Scotland's unsuccessful Euro 2016 campaign.

That came three years after he started in a 2-0 defeat to Belgium in Craig Levein's final game in charge, and his only competitive action in between was as a 92nd-minute substitute in Dublin.

Berra is competing with Russell Martin, Gordon Greer and possibly Charlie Mulgrew for a place in central defence against the Czech Republic on Thursday night and is determined to seize any chance afforded to him.

The 31-year-old, who joined Ipswich in 2013, said: "The last two or three seasons I have been playing well for my club.

"I didn't play the last three months I was at Wolves, so I lost my place in the Scotland team because I wasn't playing.

"Russell and Grant (Hanley) came in and did a very good job, so I couldn't really complain.

"I have always turned up, kept on being professional, and when I've had a chance I think I have done pretty well.

"That's all I can do. I have to put a performance in and impress.

"But it's down to the manager, he will pick the team and whatever starting 11 he picks you have to take it on the chin and move on."

Thursday is one of four friendlies Scotland will play before their World Cup qualifiers begin in Malta in September.

Three of their opponents, the Czechs, Italy and France, have qualified for the European Championship while Tuesday's test pits them against Denmark, who lost in the play-offs.

And Berra believes the fixtures will give them ample opportunity to learn ahead of their next qualifying campaign, which also pits them against England, Slovakia, Slovenia and Lithuania.

The former Hearts player, who has 31 caps, said: "We're playing a Czech Republic team who finished top of their group and won seven out of 10, so it's going to be a very hard test for us.

"There are no world-beaters in their team, so they must be a very well organised team with some quality players. Even at club level, Sparta Prague are doing well in the Europa League.

"I'm sure the manager has looked at them and maybe taken things off them that we can add to our game, and vice-versa. You can always learn as a footballer and whatever can make us better as a squad, I'm sure the manager will do that.

"We have been working on a lot of things on the training ground that we want to progress and take into the next campaign."