All you need to know about Israel ahead of Scotland clash
Scotland will look to get their Nations League campaign off to a winning start when they host Israel in Friday night's Group B2 opener.
Here we take a closer look at the visitors to Hampden.
FORM
The shock 2-1 win over Alex McLeish's Scotland in October 2018 kicked off a mini run of success for Israel. In the six games that followed they would pick up another four victories with their only defeat coming six weeks later in Glasgow as the Scots got revenge for their Haifa loss to seal Nations League promotion. But since then it is has been pretty much one disappointment after another. A 4-0 hammering by Poland in June last year was followed by another six Euro 2020 qualifiers in which their only triumph came against Latvia. After shipping 18 goals in just 10 games, they would finish second bottom of their section. Victory this week would be a major boost looking ahead to next month's return to Hampden for their delayed Euro 2020 play-off with Steve Clarke's side.
COACH
Former Austria Under-21s coach Willi Ruttensteiner replaced the popular Andreas Herzog earlier this summer but not to universal acclaim after the likes of former Celtic midfielder Eyal Berkovic and ex-Chelsea manager Avram Grant were overlooked. In a move designed to cut costs in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, the 57-year-old - already the Israeli FA's sporting director - was asked to double up and also take on responsibility for managing the national team. Friday night's clash against the Scots will be his first game in charge but Ruttensteiner will not have long to impress, having been warned he will be out of a job by Christmas if he does not bring in results. He does have experience of operating at senior international level, however, having had two caretaker spells in charge of Austria, the most recent in September 2011.
TACTICS
Herzog mostly utilised a back five during his two-year stint in charge, with Celtic midfielder Nir Bitton often used as a make-shift centre-back in a copy of the ploy used by Parkhead boss Neil Lennon at times. It remains to be seen if Ruttensteiner will shake things up or stick by Herzog's tried and tested game plan but the new man in charge will certainly be looking to stiffen up a defence that has not kept a clean sheet in its last seven games.
PLAYERS
There is certainly a different look about Ruttensteiner's squad. Tomer Hemed and ex-Celt Beram Kayal were once key men for Israel but with both men now without a club having left Brighton this summer, they have been overlooked in the meantime. Bitton and Parkhead team-mate Hatem Abd Elhamed ensure there are a couple familiar faces for the Tartan Army, while Hibernian keeper Ofir Marciano should continue in goal with Ariel Harush also in limbo having left Sparta Rotterdam. Ruttensteiner may look to blood some fresh faces after including youngsters Joel Abu Hanna, Ofri Arad, Ilay Elmkies, Eylon Almog and Shon Weissman in his first squad. But it is likely he will rely on the ever potent Eran Zahavi up front. The striker - who is reportedly set to clinch a move from Chinese outfit Guangzhou to Fenerbahce this week - finished second only to Harry Kane and level with Cristiano Ronaldo on 11 goals during the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign.