Gordon Strachan denied '˜best result ever' in his career

Gordon Strachan praised his players' 'personality, character and drive' despite conceding a stoppage time win to deny him what would have been the best result in his career.

Gordon Strachan celebrates Scotland going ahead. Picture: SNS/Alan Harvey

Scotland came from behind to take the lead through two fantastic Leigh Griffiths free-kicks, only for Harry Kane to break Scotland hearts with a goal in the 93rd minute.

If they held on Scotland would have earned their first win over England since Don Hutchison scored the only goal at Wembley in 1999.

It would have been the first victory at Hampden Park since the 1985 Rous Cup.

“I’ve got to say, I’m 60 that would have probably been the best result ever in my career, Strachan told Sky Sports.

“In terms of getting the most out of each other as a group that was phenomenal.

“No matter what anyone thinks of us as players and where we are, nobody, nobody can question our personality, character and drive. That was outstanding.

“It’s a bit like a heavyweight boxer fighting a middleweight, you keep getting knocked down, you come back up. People saying ‘pack it in, pack it in’ and the heavyweight is saying ‘pack it in’ and they kept coming back.”

He added: “We made a couple of chances second half, felt better about ourselves, changed the system a bit. We knew we’d change the system later on if that’s what the score was like or it was drawing. And that worked. Two wonderful goals.”

The Scotland manager, when asked about how he feels about the team going forward responded, “I’m good, I’m good. I know we have to get better in certain areas.”

He had changed the system, going with three centre-backs to counteract England’s threat through their full-backs.

“The middle three at the back were absolutely phenomenal, phenomenal. We had to change the system because of the way they play, their high full-backs.

“It was something I decided when we played against Germany last year that if it comes again we will do that.”

However, he was left to rue slack play when Scotland were counter-attacking moments prior to England’s equalising goal.

“I keep saying to young coaches you can have all the systems you want but it’s ten, 15 yard passes that make a big difference. But it is got to go wide then we have got to stop the cross, then we have to deal with the cross.

“They probably think that is a fair result, 2-2, but we would have taken that.”