Scotland will head into their European Championship opener against Germany unbeaten in a year.
Since losing 2-0 to Belgium at home on September 6, 2013, Gordon Strachan’s side has put together a run of four wins and two draws.
The sequence has included bold victories over Croatia at Hampden and Poland in Warsaw, plus Wednesday’s lively encounter with Nigeria which ended 2-2.
It has, however, lacked one key ingredient anything resting on the results.
“We know it is all well and good doing it now when the pressure is off,” admits Ikechi Anya, who, having made his debut against the Belgians, has become a regular in the team. “But we know that the trip to Germany is when we are really going to need to show up.”
The Westfalenstadion in Dortmund is no place for the faint-hearted, with the ground one of the most atmospheric venues in world football.
The Watford winger, though, insists the new Scotland can pass the examination and set the right tone for a campaign that will at last carry the country to a major Finals.
“This confidence we’ve gained over this last year is going to stand us in good stead,” he says. “We’re taking an unbeaten run into the qualifiers that goes all the way back to Macedonia in September. That has to be good.
“The lads have shown great composure over the year, so there is no reason that shouldn’t continue to be the case when the pressure is on again. After all, we are used to experiencing it with our respective club teams.
“Most of the squad play in good leagues like the Premier League and Championship so, if anything, the competitive games should edge us on and let us express ourselves more.”
And that, Anya argues, is an exciting prospect, with plenty more of the slick, attacking football witnessed against Nigeria at Craven Cottage to come.
“I think Scotland can really have a good campaign,” he says. “There are options throughout the side. Robert Snodgrass, Steven Fletcher and Russell Martin were not involved in London, and there are some good new players coming through now too.
“The players know that to have a chance to play against Germany, they are going to have to be at their best at the start of next season and that is exactly the way it should be.
“More than anything, I think the gaffer and management team have made everyone the players and fans optimistic about our football. We are going into every game believing we can get something out of it.
“That will continue in the Euros. It won’t matter where we are. We will be out to get the points.”
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