Scotland boss has no worries ahead of Lithuania clash
Boss Gordon Strachan will not let worry creep in as he prepares for Scotland's crunch World Cup qualifier against Lithuania on Friday night.
The Scots are six points behind leaders England, four adrift of Slovakia and three behind Slovenia and realistically need four wins in their last four matches to keep alive prospects of making Russia next summer.
Speaking at the LFF stadium in Vilnius before his squad trained - bereft of midfielder Darren Fletcher who withdrew with a knee injury - former Coventry, Southampton and Celtic boss Strachan said: "I don't worry. There is plenty of time to worry after the occasion.
"I said to the players at Coventry when I first got the job when we were sitting bottom of the league, 'don't worry about it, we are not there yet. Only worry when we get relegated', and we stayed up.
"So I wouldn't really need to worry about anything.
"I am aware of what's going on. I understand the importance but you relish it. It is a challenge.
"It is a different type of challenge but it is a challenge."
The Scots go into the game on the back of a pulsating 2-2 draw with England at Hampden Park in June.
Strachan insists there will be no change in preparations for fifth-placed Lithuania who took two points in a 1-1 draw in Glasgow last year.
He said: "I think we are good enough to win every game but we also have frailties that can make us lose every game.
"So we have a nice balance whoever we are playing, England or Lithuania.
"The players will tell you that, there is never a difference in what we think.
"We know we have strengths and frailties and on the day you want to make sure there are more strengths than frailties and we will try to build on that.
"We will show them respect as they have had some good games here.
"They have a good team spirit so you have to fight that team spirit with your team spirit and ability so hopefully we will show it on the day.
"But there is no difference in who we play, we always think the same. We give them all the same time and attention."
And the former Scotland international insists preparation and practise remain more important than inspirational dressing room talks.
He said: "It all starts as soon as they meet, the first minute you meet them.
"There is psychology to it, there is training, the information you give them about the opposition team.
"There is not going to be a Churchillian speech that makes them feel any better.
"That can work now and then but in general you make sure the players are prepared, they feel comfortable with that preparation and the amount of time they put into it, the training.
"So it starts when you meet on the Sunday morning and even before that when you make calls."
Strachan again played down the fact that Scotland will play their first competitive match on an artificial surface, as long as it was watered, which it was before training.
"We just get on with it," he said. "We are here. You just have to deal with it.