Scots looking forward to high-stakes game against Georgia, says Strachan

Scotland boss Gordon Strachan senses a healthy "nervous excitement" among his squad and the fans ahead of their Euro 2016 qualifier against Georgia in Tbilisi. Scotland are aiming to remain in touch with Group D leaders Poland, who sit three points ahead of Strachan's men with four games remaining.

Poland have put eight goals past Georgia, but their most recent 4-0 win saw Robert Lewandowski net a hat-trick from the 89th minute onwards, while Republic of Ireland needed a brilliant late winner from Aiden McGeady to win at the Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena.

With so much at stake, Strachan senses the anticipation from the fans ahead of Scotland’s seventh group match.

“They are getting what we are getting,” he said. “I have had it all the way through my career when approaching good games that I look forward to, or any game. There is a nervous excitement. So we are in the same boat.

“It doesn’t mean we are apprehensive, it doesn’t mean we are scared, it means we are looking forward to it.”

Coach Stuart McCall revealed on Wednesday that some places in the team were still to be decided, but Strachan said at his pre-match media conference: “It’s done now. The players don’t know yet. And it’s not been easy. I have a lot of players playing well.”

Scotland went out on to the pitch to train afterwards, with most of the surface in the shade by the time they had finished in the early evening. The game kicks off at 8pm local time, but temperatures have been high in Tbilisi and it remains warm at night.

Scotland lost on their last visit to Georgia, a 2-0 defeat which ultimately cost them a place at the Euro 2008 finals.