Levein admits Kaunas clash is crucial but Scotland 'have experience to cope'

Published on Thursday 2 September 2010 17:38

The team is named, and now all Scotland need to do is secure the three points that will get their European Championship hopes off to a flying start here in Kaunas this evening.

While it sounds straightforward, Craig Levein knows it won't be. He promised to name a side full of experience for tonight's critical opening clash with Lithuania, and while he has done, the former Hearts manager has also raised eyebrows. Steven Naismith comes into the side to win his fourth cap in midfield while Lee McCulloch is preferred to Paul Hartley for the anchor role in midfield.

Kenny Miller, who has scored five goals already this season, starts in attack as expected, while the inclusion of David Weir also confirmed the pre-match belief that he would play at the age of 40. Stephen McManus is named beside him at centre-half and Levein yesterday backed this side to provide the solid base on which Scotland can mount a challenge for all three points against a side likely to feature as many as five current and former Hearts players.

Familiarity can work both ways, however. Naismith's promotion to the team might have been unexpected, but he is still well known to many Lithuania players. Levein has been denied the advantage of throwing a complete curve ball ahead of tonight's opening Group I fixture. But he is simply happy to rely on the tried and trusted for a game Scotland really have to win.

"I would hate to think that it all came down to the first goal," he said, when reminded of Scotland's start to the last qualifying campaign, when they went down 1-0 to Macedonia following a goal scored in the opening six minutes.

"We can't be terrified of losing a goal. We have players who are good enough to handle that. But it comes back to the idea of those who have been over the course before. We need to be solid, get ourselves into the game. Games ebb and flow. Sometimes you are under pressure, but that's football. This game for me is not the entire tournament. This game stands in its own right."

Weir's inclusion is not a surprise but his recall to the squad was interpreted as being evidence of an alarming lack of options for Levein. "There is no benefit in me picking Davie Weir for friendlies," explained Levein. "The reason he is playing today is that I refuse to close the door on anyone. Everyone wants me to play the best players for Scotland. I would ask anyone to deny David Weir is not one of the best players we have available at centre-half, if not the best."

Weir will line up for Scotland for the first time since a 1-0 defeat to the Netherlands a year ago. His return helps give others cause for optimism. Jay McEveley will be on the bench this evening, although the Barnsley left-back was in Levein's thinking for a return to the side following the withdrawal due to injury of Lee Wallace. He last started for Scotland in the 3-1 win over Lithuania three years ago. Highlighting the ruthless nature of international football he was then dropped for the match with France in Paris just days later.

It meant he missed out on one of Scotland's best ever results but the Scouser, who qualifies because of his Scottish grandfather, just wants the chance to be involved on such glory occasions again. "Once you haven't been in a succession of squads you think that it's over," said McEveley, who before his call-up this week had not featured in a Scotland squad since the first one named by George Burley for the friendly with Czech Republic in 2008. "It's not nice really. But you just have to keep playing well for your club, and maybe it will come.

"A couple of guys were injured but I still was not expecting the call-up. I felt I was that far away from it. But the gaffer (Levein] asked me about my ambitions. I said I wanted to get back into the Scotland squad and get back in the Premiership. I have got one in the bag already. It's been a long time since I last played. I just wanted to come and train with the new gaffer, let him see what I am about."

McEveley was a young boy growing up on Merseyside when Levein was making his name as a player with Hearts. The former Derby County defender confessed to not knowing much about Levein, but has been impressed with what he has seen so far.

"He knows what he wants and is very detailed in the build-up to the game," he said. "He tells you exactly what he wants. I don't remember him as a player. Perhaps if I grew up in Scotland I would know more about him." McEveley revealed that an unexpected parcel which recently landed on his doorstep had re-ignited his Scottish ambitions: "I got a medal through the post the other day from the SFA marking the win over France in Paris. That jogged the memory - and it made me determined to get back into the squad again. All the players that were in the team or on the bench got a medal."

Likely to feature more prominently in tonight's match is former Hearts winger Saulius Mikoliunas, who now plays in Ukraine for Arsenal Kiev. He caused a storm during the last meeting between Lithuania and Scotland, when he dived to win his side a penalty.

Lithuania briefly drew level after scoring from the spot but lost 3-1 in the end. Mikoliunas was repentant yesterday, but claimed Scotland have cheated too. He cited Kenny Miller's use of his arm on the way to scoring in Scotland's 2-1 win in Kaunas in the same qualifying campaign for Euro 2008. But Mikoliunas preferred to focus on his time with Hearts when contemplating his Scottish links.

"There were good times when we won the Scottish Cup and finished second, and played in the Champions League qualifying round," he said. "I miss Hearts, especially Tynecastle when you come out on the pitch from the tunnel with all the fans cheering."

He considered tonight's game to be finely poised. "It's the first game of the campaign, so I think we have an equal chance," he said. "Maybe we have more chance because it is a home game for us. Our crowd will support us. They know there will be a lot of fans over from Scotland."

Andrius Velicka is another former Hearts player who could line up against Scotland tonight. Unlike Mikoliunas, he will have the opportunity to sample the Tynecastle atmosphere this season - but as an Aberdeen player. Velicka completed a move to Pittodrie from Rangers on the last day of the transfer window. "It's strange to be playing against so many team-mates from Rangers in an international match," he said yesterday. "We are professional so we'll just have to get on with it. We were all talking about the game before we left Murray Park. The boys were asking what the weather would be like and if the stadium had improved."

Nearly half of tonight's Scotland side featured for Rangers in the devastating loss to Kaunas in the Champions League qualifier two seasons ago. "Of course, they have bad memories of playing in this stadium with Rangers," said Velicka. " I have bad memories too because I played when Rangers lost to FBK Kaunas two years ago. This time I hope I have good memories and they have bad memories again."