Alan Pattullo: Winning is the only currency that matters

Published on Saturday 4 September 2010 19:20

"For me I understand the importance of winning on Friday night, by hook or by crook. That is what it comes down to." Craig Levein, Kaunas 2/9/2010

Winning is all that matters in football. And let's be frank, it is something Scotland don't do enough.

Sighted among the usual flags denoting trips from far-flung Scottish towns and villages on display at Dariaus Ir Gireno Stadium on Friday evening was a large banner depicting Jock Stein. "Heroes live forever," it read. Such portentous words seemed out of keeping in a setting so low-key, where two very average teams fought out the draw that left neither particularly satisfied, even though Craig Levein was minded to talk up the merits of an away point afterwards.

One of Stein's great tenets in his football life was winning - but winning with invention, so that neutrals would be glad that his side - be it Celtic or Scotland, Hibernian or Dunfermline - had emerged victorious. Levein, the eighth man to hold the post of Scotland manager since the great man's time, cannot begin to contemplate such an indulgence. It is enough to win in the scruffiest, most unattractive and unpopular way possible.

It's what Lithuania sought to do on Friday night, their robust approach causing Levein to focus afterwards on their underhand tactics and the referee's failure to deal appropriately with the aggressors. "Our only goal is victory," said Lithuania's youthful manager Raimondas Zatautas before the match. They went about seeking to achieve it, by hook or by crook. And, in truth, Levein's decision to concentrate on these complaints afterwards was a bit of a smokescreen.

Scotland lacked the wiles to break down a team whose approach was certainly physical, but in a way which might have been applauded had it been Scotland seeking to disrupt, say, a team such as Spain's rhythm. "Get up it's no' softball!" will be a likely scream from the stands should a Torres or Villa crash to the ground next month at Hampden.

Scotland have won only once away from home in a game that matters since defeating France at the Parc des Princes, and that was in Iceland. The victory in Paris three years ago this week was also the last time Scotland have managed to keep a clean sheet on their travels before Friday night's dour stalemate, when Scotland at least returned to being hard to beat again. But that, sadly, won't be enough to finish in a group place high enough to lead to a major finals appearance.

By hook or by crook. Levein obsessed over Lithuania's strong-arm tactics afterwards, but the hosts were simply trying to maximise their chances of gaining three points from a match they clearly felt was winnable. In the international arena winning is the only currency that matters, as Levein himself pointed out. Six points from double headers can propel you into the reckoning.It did so when Scotland followed up a win over Lithuania three years ago with that victory over France, although the merits of it withered on the vine following a defeat away to Georgia in the penultimate match of the Euro 2008 campaign. Even two victories over France were not enough because Scotland stumbled in Tbilisi.

The jump in improvement required is perhaps too great to expect a runners-up spot being claimed by Scotland this time around. George Burley's side ended up being also-rans after the last qualifying campaign, and two subsequent friendly defeats to Japan and Wales confirmed this billing as an ultra ordinary, perhaps even poor, outfit. Levein's first task was to stop Scotland leaking goals, and this was achieved on Friday night as Stephen McManus and David Weir held out well.

With Allan McGregor once again a stand-out in goal, Levein can have some level of assurance over his rearguard, providing injury does not become a factor.

Question marks remain elsewhere, with even first-picks such as Scott Brown beginning to see their authority erode on the back of too many average outings in not just a dark blue jersey, but also a hooped one. Darren Fletcher will always play because he is skipper, but has only one truly great performance - against the Netherlands last year - to his name in recent memory.

James McFadden did little during his cameo appearance at the end to make anyone think Levein had erred in leaving him out in the first place, while up front Kenny Miller missed a gilt-edged chance, although any urge to cry "Kris Boyd would have scored that!" is weakened by a seeming reduction in his powers of late.

The team Levein picked did as well as could be expected. But that's just it. Mind-numbing draws away from home against opposition we should surely, judging by FIFA rankings, hope to beat might be as much as we can ask for. And that, as Levein himself suggested on the eve of the match when he outlined the need for three points, is not enough to begin anticipating an end to Scotland's exile from major finals.