'Outstanding' Spain whet Craig Levein's Euro appetite

Published on Sunday 7 February 2010 23:21

HE clearly found the whole experience a trifle nerve-wracking and more than once referred to Spain as World instead of European champions, but there was no doubting Craig Levein's excitement when he discovered Scotland's fate at yesterday's qualifying draw for the 2012 European Championships.

The new Scotland manager, who had risen to the post via an apprenticeship at Cowdenbeah, Hearts, Leicester City and Dundee United, had an inkling, as all the razzmatazz proceeded towards its conclusion, that England might come out of the elite final pot to take their place in Scotland's group for his debut international managerial campaign. But he was just as happy that defending champions Spain will be the ones visiting Hampden Park in Group I at some point over the next couple of years.

"It's fairly obvious looking at the group that Spain will be favourites and it was difficult looking at the pots in terms of who you might want because nothing jumped out as being easy," said Levein.

"I did wonder whether it might be England but whoever we got from pots one and two was going to be tough. I'll have time to digest it all over the next few days and then the most important thing will be trying to fix the dates."

Levein conceded that being in one of the groups of five nations may provide for better preparation in terms of the designated international programme. He already has certain ideas about how he would like Scotland's campaign to unravel but was giving little away in that respect. "The dates should be easier to fix and get the fixtures you are looking for. But I'm new in the job."

Spain – Fernando Torres, Cesc Fabregas and all – will certainly set the collective pulses racing, rekindling memories of a 1984 World Cup qualifier in Glasgow and a famous 3-1 victory by the Scots with a Maurice Johnstone brace and one from Kenny Dalglish. Since then, of course, the respective fortunes of the two nations have been in stark contrast.

"To draw Spain will capture the Scottish people's imagination," said Levein. "Don't get me thinking about it or I'll just get worried. Seriously, they're outstanding. But there's an opportunity to pick up points against all the teams in the group. There's a lot of research to do but we've got the time."

The other thing that came to mind apart the mouth-watering clash with the European champions was what to do about the 3 March friendly with the Czech Republic, on paper the next strongest team in a qualifying group that also comprises Lithuania – familiar foes to the Scots in this competition – and outsiders Liechtenstein.

"I see no reason to change the 3 March date," said Levein. "There's enough distance between then and when we play them again for it not to be a problem.

"Some people say it's harder to qualify for the finals in this tournament than the World Cup. If that's true, it's because only 14 teams can go through. Luckily that will change in 2016 when the tournament is expanded to 24 teams but I'm not sure what the lifespan of a national manager is."

For all his trepidation, Levein certainly looked the part at what was his most prestigious appearance since being appointed as George Burley's successor – apart, that is, from the faux pas of describing Spain as world champions. "It's all a bit mind-blowing, the scale of the whole thing," he said blinking in the bright camera lights at the post-draw interview area at Warsaw's imposing Palace of Culture and Science.

"I got butterflies just walking into the building. It's a huge event and I've thoroughly enjoyed the last few days. I've got some ideas about how I'd like things to pan out but we need to go away and formulate a plan."

Levein hopes Scotland can emulate the feats of 2008 when, as rank outsiders, they came up against Italy and France yet came within one match of reaching the finals. "There's a case for saying we raise our game against so-called bigger nations. Let's face it, Spain should win the group so in a way the other games become more important. We need to prove on the field that we are a good side, develop some momentum. If we can get something positive out of the Czech friendly and then one against Sweden, probably in August, it gives us just that."

Levein insists Scotland have far better players than their disappointing World Cup campaign might suggest.

"I really do believe that. If we can keep everyone fit I'm very hopeful. I want to try and develop and really good unit here based on team spirit. That can sometimes more than make up for playing against better players."

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque is adamant he will not be taking the Scots lightly – or anyone else for that matter.

"It's a bit of a strange time because we are concentrating on the World Cup but we don't want to make any mistakes and are taking nothing for granted," said the veteran Spaniard.

Del Bosque, who took over from Luis Aragones following Spain's success at Euro 2008, said: "It's true that they are teams who will not be going to the World Cup, but we cannot be overconfident.

"Our opponents are difficult; these days in football the differences (between teams] are getting smaller all the time.

"There are teams who improve in every competition.

"Liechtenstein seem the easiest, but we have to be very careful with the other three opponents."

Of Scotland, he said: "They play a type of football I like, a classic British style."

He added: "We are obliged to have a good qualification campaign so we can try and defend the title we won in 2008.

"I'm sure that it will be difficult – it's not going to be a stroll."

Del Bosque admits though that his thoughts are currently more focused on this summer, where the Spanish will hope to add a first World Cup crown to their European title.

"For now the first thought is to concentrate on the World Cup," he said. From September our minds will be on qualifying that will be time to weigh up our opponents."

The Czechs now have former Liverpool striker Vladimir Smicer as their sporting director and SFA general secretary Gordon Smith joked about how, before the draw, he and Smicer's people discussed the March friendly.

"We were joking beforehand about how we'd have to cancel the friendly if we were drawn together but that won't happen.

"We've sent each other videos of our last two matches so by the time we play them for real there won't be that much to learn. Fortunately, we only have to fit in eight games. It gives us more latitude. We'll sit down with Craig and get as close to the schedule he wants as we can."

Levein's task as he aims to succeed where a succession of predecessors have failed looks far more daunting than that of England manager Fabio Capello who found himself up against Wales, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Montenegro in Group G for the right to grab one of 14 spots in the finals in Poland and Ukraine.

The Swiss are much improved, having topped their group to qualify for this summer's World Cup, but Wales haven't qualified for a major finals since 1958. The qualifiers will run from September of this year until November 2011 with the winners of the nine groups and the best runner-up qualifying directly.The eight remaining runners-up will meet in playoffs in November next year with the four winners joining the other 12 nations in the finals.