Central defender Russell Martin insists Scotland won’t just sit in and hope for the best against Germany.
The Scots face the daunting prospect of playing the world champions in Dortmund on Sunday night in the opening game of the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.
Having watched the Germans humiliate host nation Brazil 7-1 in the World Cup with some fabulous attacking football, you could perhaps excuse the Scots being just a little bit cautious in their approach to this clash in the Westfalenstadion.
However, Martin claimed Gordon Strachan’s side won’t be content to just park the proverbial bus.
“There is no chance of that,” he declared. “I think if you do that against a team of Germany’s quality then you are on a hiding to nothing. It would be a very long evening.
“Instead, we are going to try and impose our own game and play the way we want to play. The manager is really positive, as are the lads. We have improved a lot so we want to keep that going.
“One thing is for sure, we will go there and have a go to try and get a result.
“It is a good start for us, I think. There will be a great atmosphere there, especially as it’s their first competitive game as world champions.
“It is one we are all very much looking forward to. Maybe that wouldn’t have been the case a year or so ago, but now we are in a really good place that enables us to look forward to a game of this magnitude.
“As a defender, you want to test yourself against the best and we certainly have that in this German team. It will be a very testing game but I think we have now improved defensively and as a team over the past 18 months. This is another challenge for us and hopefully one we can rise to.”
Martin claimed that even in that aforementioned battering of the Brazilians, there were things even in that sensational German display that can help the Scots’ prepare for this match.
“I sat watching that semi-final against Brazil in disbelief and it was probably the same for everyone else,” added the Norwich man.
“It was the most one-sided game I have ever seen in the World Cup, that is for sure. With the World Cup being in Brazil, I don’t know if it was the pressure on them as hosts or what happened.
“They ended up a bit all over the place. But we have watched a bit of that game and can take from things from that.
“Every team, even the world champions, will have some weaknesses. Of course they will and it is up to us to try and exploit them in any way we can.
“The coaching staff here have spent a long time looking at them and we will be working on things on the training pitch.
“We have also watched other games where teams have hurt Germany. So we will try and take some characteristics from those teams and try and use them to our advantage.
“One thing we are is extremely organised. Everyone knows exactly what their defensive roles are on the pitch and we are also getting better in attack.
“We will study Germany in depth but the gaffer made it clear at our first meeting that the focus is on ourselves and what we can do.
“We have to be brave on the ball and to try and keep it, otherwise it will be a long night.”