Scotland v Italy, Hampden Park, 5.30 Group Five: Walter Smith was confronted yesterday by something he could not have anticipated when he took up the Scotland reins 10 months ago: optimism.
Second bottom of Group Five they may be, with their prospects of making the World Cup finals hanging in the balance and Italy looming large this afternoon, but a nation is clinging to signs of promise. In the circumstances, it was time for a bit of realism.
"Players, staff, manager, none of us are miracle workers," said Smith, trying to dead bat while some dare consider a first victory over the Azzurri since 1965. "Six months ago people were calling this the worst Scotland team ever, so now they can't expect this to be one of the best Scottish teams ever. That can't happen. But we're making progress, and this will be the biggest test we've had yet of how well we're doing."
Hampden Park will be heaving today as the locals attempt to unsettle the group leaders and revive their own spluttering campaign. Berti Vogts left Scotland with two points from their opening three fixtures and the game of catch-up, which began in Milan, remains daunting.
Results are needed today and in Norway on Wednesday if a play-off place is to remain a possibility, though, for the moment, the squad is pepped by confidence. It has not taken much to generate a feel-good factor. Organisation and a clear tactical plan may be footballing necessities but, after the confusion of Vogts's reign, to see a Scottish side sticking to the basics has been refreshing. Smith has overseen four matches so far, with the promise displayed in defeat in Italy maintained against Moldova, Belarus and Austria. Steadily, he is restoring focus to what was recently a demoralised set-up.
"I think the boys are more confident than they were when I first took over," said Smith. "That can lead to a more optimistic view going into games like this. I don't think they'd been under a fear of playing for Scotland, but there was obviously a fair bit of despondency about the performances. Initially, my job was to get a reaction from them in terms of their determination and their confidence going into games."
Smith, for once, has his first-choice midfield in place. The trio of Nigel Quashie, Barry Ferguson and Darren Fletcher offers industry and invention, most likely with Paul Hartley at their side and Christian Dailly at their back. Lee McCulloch will be missed on the left, but options still remain to support Kenny Miller in attack.
Even with Christian Vieri, Alessandro Del Piero and Andrea Pirlo looming, the picture does not appear quite as bleak as it did a few months ago.
Smith was one of the 100,393 on the terraces at Hampden in 1965 to witness John Greig's last-minute winner propel the hosts to their only victory over Italy. A repeat today would confirm Scotland are upwardly mobile again.
SCOTLAND (probable):Gordon (Hearts); McNamara (Wolves), Weir (Everton), Webster (Hearts), Alexander (Preston); Fletcher (Man Utd), Hartley (Hearts), Dailly (West Ham), Ferguson (Rangers), Quashie (Southampton); Miller (Wolves).
ITALY (probable):Peruzzi; Zaccardo, Nesta, Cannavaro, Zambrotta; Camoranesi, Pirlo, Gattuso; Gilardino, Vieri, Totti.
Referee:M Lubos (Slovakia).