John Carver knows the nation is already riding on Euros fever - and even admitted he's had to calm his own excitement when out and about preparing for the tournament.
There's less than 90 days until Scotland and Germany get Euro 2024 underway in Munich, which will mark only the second time since France 1998 that the Scots have been at a major finals.
The Tartan Army are expected to travel in unprecedented numbers, with as much as 100,000 set to descend on Germany. And Scotland coach Carver is relishing the prospect.
He said: “I’ve already experienced the excitement because all I’ve been doing is going to watch games for the last four months and every time I walk into a stadium, whether in England or Scotland, to watch players, everybody’s talking about the Euros.
“The fans are talking about it, people in the boardroom are talking about it and I’ve got to calm myself down sometimes when it happens.”
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Scotland qualified for Euro 2020 but fans weren't allowed to celebrate the achievement as a collective due to the coronavirus pandemic. Steve Clarke's side collected just one point from their three group matches during that showpiece, and assistant boss Carver senses a change in mindset from last time out.
He went on: “There’s a huge difference to when we qualified the previous time. I can sense that because it was a difficult situation with Covid and fans weren’t allowed in but now I’ve got so many Scottish friends who are coming out the woodwork looking for tickets.
“Everyone I speak to is going there but not everyone has got a ticket! When we went across to look at the facilities, they were saying they were expecting around about 100,000 Scottish people in Germany, and that’s incredible. I can’t wait to see that because it was limited crowds the last time we were in the Euros.
"There is a difference for the players and the staff as well. We’ve learned an awful lot and we’ve gained more caps. We’ve already experienced what one European Championship is like and we’re going into the second one with that experience behind us. I think that’s important.
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“You look at any successful team, once they win that first cup, for example, they usually have a run of success. We qualified for the Euros three years ago, missed out on the World Cup and now we’re back in the Euros, and that’s what you want.
“I remember how disappointed I was sitting watching the World Cup and now I’m going to be part of it with around 100,000 Scottish people out there, which will be great fun.”
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