GORDON Strachan believes Scotland must assemble a more complete performance than they have achieved in any of his ­previous 12 games as manager if they are to achieve a positive result in Germany this evening.

There have been plenty of high points in the matches over which Strachan has presided since being appointed in January 2013, winning half of them, and Strachan would dearly love his players to piece them all together during the Euro 2016 qualifying opener in Dortmund.

Asked to envisage the kind of performance which could bear fruit tonight, Strachan said: "I would have to pick out bits from different games. The defensive bit from Croatia, the attacking part from England. I would throw a bit of all that in there. I would need all of that. I don't think there is one performance so far that would give us victory. And what I can't plan for is some brilliance from some of their players."

Considering the hugely impressive manner in which they were crowned world champions in Brazil in July, Germany were none too brilliant in a 4-2 home friendly reverse to Argentina last Wednesday night.

Joachim Low has had to rethink his plans following the inter­national retirement of Philipp Lahm, Per Mertesacker and ­Miroslav Klose, and the loss to injury of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mesut Ozil, Mats Hummels, Julien Draxler and Sami Khedira, although Strachan is meanwhile deprived of the services of injured trio Scott Brown, Andrew Robertson and Robert Snodgrass.

Of the 50 Scotland caps Strachan won as a player between the years of 1980 and 1992, the most iconic came when scoring against West Germany in Mexico in the 1986 World Cup, where he comically attempted to hurdle the advertising hoardings in celebration.

While he will challenge each of his players to similarly write themselves into national legend tonight, he was quick to point out that, more than anything, it is a team effort which is required.

"People keep talking about the goal I scored and it's great to look back on that," Strachan said. "When you are playing in a game of football you want to be the best player on the pitch but you are part of a team at the same time.

"We will talk about James McFadden's goal in France. We will talk about Gary Caldwell's goal against France. But you have to remember, especially in that one at Hampden, it was all about the commitment the defenders showed because I don't think Scotland had another chance at goal.

"Most people just think about Gary Caldwell but you have to remember that behind that was some phenomenal defending. Scotland defended so well and so bravely that the French got bored. They had so much of the ball but they ran out of ideas how to make chances."

If more of the same heroic defending, coupled with an ability to maintain a share of possession, will be required tonight, the only problem is that Germany are the nation who effectively designed the blueprint that Strachan wants Scotland to play to.

It is a country which has transformed its footballing image from the days of formidable goalkeeper Harald "Toni" Schumacher, when they were feared rather than loved.

In his first press conference after taking charge of Scotland, Strachan memorably gushed about the manner in which Germany's players dovetail in the best interests of the team. While he is reluctant to claim Scotland are doing the same just yet he does feel they are travelling in the right direction.

"I remember when I took this job, people were all asking me who it was I most admired," Strachan said. "Was it Spain? France? But I went for Germany because of the way they play the game. It is a group game, they don't rely on any particular individual, but what they have is world-class individuals all round the pitch.

"We might still have a laugh at the Germans but we admire them. I feel the way they play is modern-day football - the strength they have is phenomenal.

"But there are 70 million of them and only five million of us. I can't mess about with genetics. You look at their midfield players and they are all 6ft 1ins or 6ft 2ins but we just don't have that. Darren Fletcher is about that size but all their players are, whatever position they are playing. I can't make everybody in the team 6ft. But I like what Germany do, that is for sure, I admire them. It would be very strange if somewhere along the line it didn't come out in my coaching."

The next step in attempting to follow the German blueprint is a long-term one, the ability to hot-house skilful yet athletic front players in the mould of Marco Reus and Mario Gotze. "I did say at that time that we couldn't replicate what they do because they have developed players that are different from ours to play up front, but that is what we are trying to do now," Strachan added.

"Although it is too late for me - all I can do is put ideas in their heads - behind the scenes we have to replicate the way they develop forward players."

Exactly how far behind Scotland are compared to this ideal version of themselves will be established in Dortmund this evening.