Scotland must tap into that Braveheart spirit when they face the Auld Enemy at Wembley tonight.
I’m hearing a lot of people saying we have to keep calm and play with cool heads, but I could not disagree more. It’s the fire in the bellies that is needed from Steve Clarke’s players when they face England.
Our hopes of still having an interest in Euro 2020 going into the final game next week depend on it.
We’ve left ourselves with it all to do after losing to the Czech Republic in our opening game at Hampden on Monday.
I was so disappointed with the result, but let’s be clear here – we only have ourselves to blame.
We knew in the build-up Patrik Schick was their main goal threat. He’s good in the air and leads the line well for his country.
For two central defenders to be either side of him and neither managed to block him off or stop from getting a free header to the cross for the opening goal was criminal.
As for the second goal, well let’s call it for what it was, a farce.
I don’t know if it was a rush of blood to head, because scored in the friendly with the Dutch or clipped the crossbar minutes earlier, but Jack Hendry should not be trying his luck from 35 yards.
He is one of our centre-halves, the last line of defence. He should be covering on the halfway line in that situation, not playing at being an attacking midfielder and, when his blocked shot fell for Schick, you could see we were in deep trouble.
It’s days later and I still haven’t heard an explanation for why David Marshall was 40 yards from his own goal, but the manner in which we conceded the second was amateurish all round.
We have to be better than that in the finals of a major tournament.
Scoring goals was my concern before a ball was kicked and it still worries me as, from the other games I’ve watched, it feels as if even the teams who are losing are getting on the scoresheet.
At this point we don’t know who the best third-placed teams will be to go through to the last-16, but I know we have got to score some goals if we want to stay in this tournament.
That’s why I hope Steve Clarke does go with two strikers against England, but whatever team he picks what I want most is to see that passion.
England at Wembley is always going to be tough, but whenever Scotland and England meet it is a special fixture in international football and I hope our lads can rise to the occasion when it matters most.
I don’t want to see cool heads, playing for a goalless draw and then putting all our eggs in the Croatia basket on Tuesday as that’s a risky strategy.
England, having beaten Croatia on Sunday, have three points on the board and can take the handbrake off against us. We have to respond by matching fire with fire.
If we are going to go down then let’s go down fighting by having a real go. That’s what the fans want to see.
Swedes will be no pushovers in Conference League
Aberdeen’s return to Gothenburg next month will have put a smile on the faces of the Dons fans and it’s a real shame they won’t be able to make the trip to see the Dons take on BK Hacken in the Conference League.
It’s a new tournament in European football, but you just have to look at some of the names who are in the second qualifying round to know reaching the group stages is not going to be easy.
Every game is tough and Stephen Glass faces a tough start in European football against Hacken. Any team from Sweden’s top-flight is going to be tough, especially over there.
That is why it is vital Aberdeen make the most of the first leg at Pittodrie. They know they will be facing a skilful side in two tough games and I do believe they will need to win by a couple of goals on July 22 so they can go over there with something to hold onto.
Don’t be fooled by the fact Hacken are bottom of the league. They have only played eight games and have players with international experience in their squad.
Defender Jonathan Toivio is at the Euros with Finland, while they have played in the Europa League five times in the last 10 years.
First day of pre-season was always a highlight
The Aberdeen players will regroup for pre-season training on Monday at Cormack Park and I’m sure the squad is ready for their hard work ahead of the new season.
I can remember Ally MacLeod used to weigh us all at the end of the season and we were not allowed to come back any heavier than five pounds more than we left or we’d be in trouble.
Maybe it was because we had six to eight weeks off when I played, but there was always a buzz about the place on the first day of training because everyone so excited to be back.
I’m sure that will be the case at Cormack Park on Monday.
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