Pat Nevin: I am expecting a Scotland World Cup victory and the unusual circumstances that help us

Fear is certainly one emotion in the mix even if we hide it under a tartan blanket of celebration and partying. We have been here before, a long time ago admittedly, but all those painful memories are ingrained in the national psyche. Whether it was bad luck, bad preparation or bad play back then, the mental scarring is still there.

I have no doubt that ridding the players of any vestiges of that fear has been at the forefront of Steve Clarke’s thinking over the past few weeks. Clarke’s impressively positive mindset and unusually upbeat smiley press interviews reflect what he wants to impress on his team. They must be positive above all else.

If I was in that dressing room preparing for this crucial, arguably deciding game of the tournament for us, there is one thing I would not want to hear. I wouldn’t want a single word uttered about the opposition. All the work and planning into Haiti and their possible dangers should have been completed long ago. You have to do that preparation; in 1978 we didn’t do it for Peru and that didn’t end well. The name Teofilo Cubillas still haunts some of us and we dearly hope Wilson Isidor isn’t his modern-day reincarnation.

By the time the Scotland players are in the dressing room getting ready for that walk out into the stifling heat, the players need to know how much belief there is coming from the coaching staff. By all means be concerned to some degree by Morocco and Brazil, but Haiti have to be swatted.

I suspect the shape itself will be enough to convince the team that this one is all about being on the front foot. Anything other than a 4-4-2, with two goalscorers up top would be an afront to our ambitions and bring doubts to the group. If we put up a team sheet that also includes attack minded players out wide and another in the midfield , this will tell the players all they need to know. To use the vernacular, it would be the tactical equivalent of ‘Let’s get intae them.’

Why I am hopeful of a Scotland win

There are a variety of reasons why I am hopeful, even expectant, of the right result. Obviously we have quite a good team, the most talented for a few decades. There is the experience that most of the group, including the head coach, now have of two European tournaments behind them. Much has been learned on those ultimately fruitless journeys.

Added to this is the fact that some of our most important players are in peak form due to unusual sets of circumstances. John McGinn looked exhausted in Germany two years ago after a gruelling season. After time off through injury, his recent form at Villa has been outstanding, arguably the best of his career as he increasingly became their most influential player. Super John is in perfect mid-season form and he isn’t alone.

Andy Robertson also had enough rests as Liverpool gave his replacement Milos Kerkez plenty of game time this season. Robbo still looked the better player when I saw both play over the campaign. Liverpool allowing Spurs to take him still surprises me, even though we all know it was about age above talent. So Robbo is in great shape, because like McGinn his body hasn’t been bludgeoned by a brutal full Premier League and Champions League campaign.

The other key player is Scott McTominay and watching his recent performances in Serie A, he looks like a God playing with mortals. His power, fitness, physique and ability has literally allowed him to tower over most of his opponents. Some others he will play against will not be as Herculean.

It is an old-football adage that you want your best players to come to the fore in the biggest games, there is no reason why our big three shouldn’t do that this time.

Another old phrase is ‘the chain is only as strong as its weakest link’ and that is also true. There was, however, a moment in the recent win against Bolivia when Clarke replaced Robertson and Christie with Tierney and McGinn. That didn’t look like a very weak link in a chain to me.

Right now some may point at the goalkeepers and the centre-backs as the weaker links. It is a fair point. They aren’t currently playing at the ultra-elite level like others mentioned above, but in the biggest games those starters have rarely let us down.

These words have been very positive-sounding, almost a clarion call, but it is because we have landed a little lucky in some ways. One win could be enough and we have the game we want first. We will be at our strongest and everyone knows what is needed. This is our final, win it and the team can go and enjoy the rest of the tournament, however it plays out.

The coaching staff’s team talk will be even more positive and upbeat than these words. Let’s hope it is enough and we play with that total belief and absolutely no fear. If we do, then we can win and win well. If we don’t, then we will deserve what we get.

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