SCOTLAND have reached the point where momentum and progress must be measured by Euro 2016 wins and points, assistant manager Mark McGhee admitted yesterday.

After 16 months of steady improvement Scotland must deliver a victory in the first home qualifier against Georgia if they are to apply pressure on Poland and the Republic of Ireland, the opponents most likely to challenge behind group favourites Germany. Scotland delivered a creditable performance against the world champions in Dortmund last month but the end result was a 2-1 defeat which kept Gordon Strachan's men joint bottom of Group D.

Saturday's game against Georgia at Ibrox will be Scotland's eighth competitive tie since Strachan took over as manager at the start of last year. So far the record in qualifiers is four defeats and three victories, with two of those coming home and away against Croatia. Those two results were enormously encouraging, while Scotland also played well in England, in victories over Macedonia, Norway and Poland, and in a draw against Nigeria.

But now there is pressure to beat the nation ranked 110th in the world - Scotland are 29th - in the first home qualifier for the Euro 2016 finals in France. Scotland were in the fourth pot of seeds when the draw was made while Georgia were in the fifth. "If we are going to qualify for France we have to start winning games," said McGhee. "All the positives we have managed to achieve so far have to start manifesting themselves in points. There is no better place to start than a home game at Ibrox where everything is set for it. There will be twists and turns along the way regardless of what happens on Saturday night. So, whatever it takes . . ."

By the time Strachan and McGhee took over, Scotland were hopelessly off the pace in the last World Cup campaign but the assistant manager said it had still felt like a crushing blow when elimination was confirmed by a defeat in Serbia 18 months ago. "The two of us were devastated [by the 2-0 loss]. Not just because of the nature of the performance, but also because when we arrived here in the job there was still an opportunity we could qualify. We took full responsibility for not qualifying from the last campaign.

"For us this job started the day we arrived. I think we have been big enough to accept that responsibility. Therefore I don't think it suddenly starts again now. It started then and it continues. We took responsibility for the first two performances and results [losses to Wales and Serbia] and we would have been quite happy to accept some form of criticism for them."

McGhee took Ryan Gauld aside at Scotland's training session yesterday and told him he had a chance of coming straight into the team for his international debut on Saturday. Barry Bannan had been called into the group for the away game in Croatia last year and was so impressive in training that he ended up starting the game, McGhee told the 18-year-old. Gauld was a surprise inclusion in Strachan's squad given that he has yet to play a first team game for Sporting Lisbon although he has impressed the Portuguese club since his £3m summer move.

"I said to Ryan 'don't be afraid or embarrassed to try. You don't need to think you are just here so we can get a look at you.' It's up to him really as to how much he shows Gordon about where he fits in to the pecking order.

"It's not a decision that has been made prior to him arriving here. He is here and one of the squad and if he shows up well enough he has a chance. Gordon puts a lot of store in what happens in training. Ryan has a lot of good players ahead of him, it will be hard for him to move up too quickly. But he can certainly put himself in Gordon's mind."

McGhee hinted that Darren Fletcher will keep his place in the Scotland midfield despite slipping out of the Manchester United side since the arrival of Angel di Maria, Ander Herrera and Daley Blind. Fletcher has played only 25 minutes, as a substitute against West Ham, of United's four games since the last international break a month ago. "We're a Scotland team on the up and he plays for Manchester United," said McGhee. "Those are two different things given the investment they've put in.

"It's difficult for Darren at the moment to maintain his position in the United team but for us he's a top player, a top influence, and we have no qualms about that. We have lots of players in the team who haven't been playing regularly and certainly we would have no qualms at all."