Strachan wants to test Scotland's character before World Cup qualifiers

Boss Gordon Strachan explained why he will not serve up his Scotland side with a series of easy friendlies as preparations for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers begin with a challenge match against Czech Republic.

There are 10 uncapped players over two squads picked by the national team boss for the clashes in Prague on Thursday night and against Denmark at Hampden Park next Tuesday night.

The Scots will then play Italy in Malta and follow it up with a game away to France before Euro 2016 starts in the summer.

The Czech Republic have qualified for the Euros and it is that standard of opponent which Strachan believes will stand his players, new or established, in good stead as they bid to get to the World Cup in two years' time.

The former Celtic manager said: "We could have picked easy games, the next four friendlies could have been easy, but we will really judge the players when they go to play top international sides like Czech Republic.

"So we need to play these teams to find out if we have the players that can come through and play at this level, be comfortable at this level and work in the system that we will try and work on.

"We feel we have right good players, they have got good players.

"Ability is as huge factor; playing as a team, that is what we try to do.

"At the moment we have not got great players, but we have a great group of players who want to do well for the country and are willing to put themselves out for the country.

"We make ourselves into a very good side by application, which we have seen this week and so that is what we are trying.

"Other teams have individuals who are better than us but we have managed to beat them because of our team work."

The Czech Republic has become almost synonymous for Scotland fans with the controversial 4-6-0 tactics used by then manager Craig Levein in a Euro 2012 qualifier in Prague in October 2010.

Scotland lost 1-0 and ultimately failed to qualify but asked about tactics Strachan said: "If there was a tactic that could guarantee a win we'd all be using it. But we'd have a stalemate.

"Top coaches from all over the world are all different."

When asked if too much was made of Levein's system six years ago, the former Scotland midfielder made light of the question.

"I've no idea. I was living in England at the time and didn't think too much of it," he said.

"The tactics are determined, I think, by the quality of the players you've got and by where you play them and by their ability to pass the ball. That's never going to change."

Strachan is pleased that right back Alan Hutton will pick up his 50th cap, describing it as a "fantastic achievement", and with the return of forward Robert Snodgrass, back in the squad after recovering from a knee injury which ruled him out of the last qualifying campaign.

He said: "Alan has done very well for us, especially through the period when he wasn't getting regular games for his club. He was one of our best performers.

"Like all managers, we are delighted for him to be winning his 50th cap but we'd like to see more people coming through and trying to put more pressure on Alan.

"That would drive him on to play even better and it would be good for us to have competition all over the place.

"It looks like Alan has had that place for the last few years and deservedly so, but it's up to somebody else to take that off him.

"Robert has got a bit of character, he's got skill and he has been radiating the dressing room since he came back, which is great.

"I've got to say that it would have been great to have him in the squad but the players who played did very well in terms of trying to make goals for us and working hard for us.

"Whether he could have made a difference for us in the games, I don't know.

"It was very small margins that kept us away from the European Championships.

"But it's great to have him back. Absolutely great."