Belief is the key for Scotland as the national side stand on the precipice of a new chapter under Alex McLeish. This week will see the first steps on to a road that could ultimately lead to qualification for the European Championships, an achievement that would bring to an end more than 20 years’ spent on the outside looking in for the national side.
McLeish will begin his second stint in charge of Scotland by overseeing friendlies against Costa Rica and Hungary and Rodgers has underlined the importance of faith in the squad ahead of the challenge of qualification.
“They have a great chance this time – they are a good group, they’re young, they have energy,” he said. “Instead of looking for the negative, you have got to think: 'We can do this here'. Absolutely, you can. You wouldn’t believe the things people have said we can’t do. You can do it, for sure.”
And the Celtic manager has also maintained that it is possible to play both Kieran Tierney and Liverpool’s Andy Robertson on the same flank. There has been a suggestion that it has to be one or the other but the Parkhead manager has maintained that any national side must seek to get their best players on to the park.
"If you look at it, you will say if they play a back three Kieran is absolutely suited to the outside of three and the boy Robertson is great going forward, how he serves the ball, how he crosses it and they're both quick,” he said. “You want the two of them in there. It's finding a way to get your best players on the pitch.”
McLeish has added a number of new players to the squad with the addition of Manchester United’s Scott McTominay. The Lancaster-born midfielder was eligible for both Scotland and England and having opted to wear the dark blue of his father’s homeland, Rodgers expects him to add a presence to the national side.
"There's great options for the Scotland team,” he said. “McTominay coming in is absolutely huge, he's a fantastic player. The way he plays, you think he's played for 10-odd years with his maturity and the speed with which he gets the ball out of pressure. Good presence, he's very good.
"If you look at Scotland as a nation everything you want, which I've always said, players with good technique, tactically they are getting better, physically you know have players with speed, who can run.”
Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths remains sidelined and his loss exposes a dearth of forward options for McLeish. Rodgers found himself in a similar jam at the start of the season when he forced to use James Forrest in that role in Uefa Champions League qualification games.
"Once he's fit, he's all yours,” said Rodgers of Griffiths. “He's just joined the group again, so he's going to take a bit of time to get fit. He's always a threat, Griff. James Forrest can play. James can definitely play there. He played there home and away against Rosenborg and scored [away]. He's got that ability because he can drop in off the front and then he can go in behind with his speed.”
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