Moldova v Scotland: Berti Vogts will retire to the stand at the Republican Stadium this evening to watch as his future as Scotland's team manager is determined. If this is to be his last hurrah, the fact he will be able to exert minimal influence on proceedings might be seen as strangely appropriate.
A touchline ban will restrict Vogts's impact, though he has often cut a marginalised figure since taking over more than two years ago. His English remains erratic, and results have stuttered, the tactics employed too often baffling exponents rather than opponents. It has left the Scottish Football Association's first foreign manager on the brink.
There is widespread sympathy for "Der Terrier" given the lack of international-class players available to him, though that has been overtaken by frustration at a perceived lack of progress.
Scotland should have enough to come through tonight but with their next qualifier not until the trip to Italy in March, that would leave the SFA with a tricky decision. Anything but a win and the 11-man board would be compelled to act.
There was a desperation about Vogts yesterday. "Maybe it was my fault (against Norway on Saturday) and there are no excuses," said the German, who will check Russell Anderson's ankle today before deciding on his defence. "But we are a small nation and I've worked here very hard, the hardest I have as a coach, towards my vision.
"When I took over the national team was on its last legs. This qualifying campaign is not over after two matches. If we lose and we win the next seven games, we will qualify. But this is a must-win match."
Saturday's defeat by Norway was, though, the last straw for many, prompting Craig Burley to denounce the team as a "laughing stock" on national radio.
"That sums the guy (Burley) up," snarled the captain Barry Ferguson, who will undergo a test on a hamstring. "The boys will react to those comments. Berti's limited to what he can pick, and Burley's missing the point."
But too many points have been lost recently - five in two games - and the Scots will be aware that Italy laboured to edge past Moldova here on a bumpy pitch last month. "They scored one and then started wondering when their flight home was," Vogts said. "We have to play simple football, with balls over the top and a direct style, with pace."
Vogts and Scotland know anything less is unthinkable.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
MOLDOVA: Hmaruc; Lascencov, Catansus, Brigennic, Savinov; Olexici, Ivanov, Bursuc; Covalciuc; Miterev, Rogaciov.
SCOTLAND: Gordon; G Caldwell, Webster, S Caldwell, Naysmith; Holt; Fletcher, Ferguson, Pearson; Thompson, Crawford).
