James McFadden has urged Scotland’s threadbare squad to absorb the positives from their end-of-season trek to Peru and Mexico.
Alex McLeish is down to 21 fit players – including three goalkeepers – after six late call-offs.
The Scotland boss has already called in nine uncapped players. And he faces a battle to convince MLS club Colorado Rapids to release Danny Wilson and Sam Nicholson to bolster the numbers.
Scotland assistant boss James McFadden wants to take the positives from the trip abroad
Alex McLeish has named a much-changed Scotland squad for games against Peru and Mexico
Left to make the most of the resources available, however, assistant coach McFadden says the backroom team staff plan to turn the negatives into a positive.
‘We want guys who are desperate to play for Scotland,’ he said. ‘The guys who are in there already are showing that by committing to the trip. And the ones who are coming in, they’re going to be buzzing. Especially the late call-ups who maybe thought they were just going to have a nice summer holiday and now have a chance to play for their country, which they maybe thought wasn’t going to happen.
‘There will be guys coming in with the right attitude and hopefully they will grasp that chance. They’ve got to go and enjoy it. It’s not a prison camp.
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‘I’ve been to Mexico on holiday but I’ve never been to Peru, I’ve never been to Mexico City.
‘It’s a different experience. I’m not saying: ‘It’s great, you get to see somewhere different’ but we’re on the trip so you may as well try to make the most of it.
‘It’s not going to be a jolly-up, it’s not going to be a laugh, but at the same time because of the conditions the training won’t be as intense.
‘The guideline is for us not to push them too hard in training. It’s a difficult trip, more so because of the elements rather than anything else.’
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South and Central America present unique challenges to the Scots squad, not only because of the large, passionate crowds that will be cheering on World Cup-bound Peru and Mexico but the heat and altitude, too.
‘The way the game is nowadays, you have to take on board what the sports scientists say,’ added McFadden.
‘We won’t train for as long as we would have done over here, but it will be for intense periods.
‘There is a lot of time in between, the management are aware of that.
‘The players will need to find ways of filling the boredom and we will need to help with that.
‘The facility in Peru is extremely good and there will be plenty for them to do. Team bonding on these trips is so important.’