Walter Smith: Scotland can still qualify for 2018 World Cup

Former Scotland manager Walter Smith believes the national team can still qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Smith admits Gordon Strachan will be disappointed with Scotland's form in the qualifiers, which sees them in fifth spot with four points from four matches, but he feels all is not lost.

Four of Scotland's next five matches are at Hampden, with Slovenia the first to visit Glasgow on March 26, and Smith feels Strachan can revive their fortunes.

"Gordon will be a little bit disappointed with the early games in the section, I don't think we have reached the level we did in the European Championship qualifiers. That has been the biggest problem," said Smith, who was helping to open a new £1.5million clubhouse at Torrance Park Golf Club in Motherwell.

"In the second half of the campaign, Gordon will be looking to get the team back to the level they were at previously, which is difficult. A lot of the players who were playing well for him at that time now find themselves not playing for their clubs and that makes it extremely awkward."

Strachan's future remains uncertain despite having a contract until the end of the campaign.

But Smith, who left Scotland to return for Rangers in the midst of the Euro 2008 qualifiers, said: "I think he's the best man to take them into the second half of the campaign. Gordon will know the players better than anybody. I thought they had some exceptional performances while not qualifying for the European Championship.

"If we can recapture that form, there's no reason why we shouldn't get ourselves into second place."