Gordon Strachan has described Sunday’s Euro 2016 qualifying draw as “terrific” despite Scotland being handed yet another difficult group.
Strachan’s men will face Germany, Poland, the Republic of Ireland, Georgia and UEFA’s newest member Gibraltar in Group D.
While it means the Scots will face another uphill task to reach the finals in France in 2016, Strachan said they had avoided other “mundane” groups.
Germany will be the red-hot favourites to win the group, but the Tartan Army will already be savouring the prospect of home and away clashes with Ireland.
It was the Scots and Republic of Ireland football associations which proposed the expansion of the European Championship agreed by UEFA member nations back in 2009, but it seems unlikely that both countries will qualify directly,
Strachan said: “It will be tough for everyone involved in the group. Every tie has something in it. You’ve got Gibraltar, new to the competition; Germany, one of the best teams in the world.
“Then there is the Republic of Ireland and I think the two sets of supporters will turn those games into a cup tie.
“There are some groups you might call mundane but we’re definitely in an exciting group. It’s a terrific, terrific draw.”
He added: “It’s going to be very exciting for Gibraltar – I have been there a couple of times on holiday but I have never watched any football there, that’s for sure. We will be looking forward to that one too.”
Martin O’Neill admitted it was ironic that his Republic of Ireland side will have to slug it out with Scotland for Euro 2016 qualification.
O’Neill said: “I think it’s the toughest group but it’s an exciting one. We have got Scotland, we have Poland who we have played in a recent friendly and whose recent efforts (against England) at Wembley were not too bad at all.
“Somebody told me (the associations had proposed expanding the tournament) so it is ironic they have ended up in the same group.”
It will bring O’Neill face to face with his fellow ex-Celtic manager Gordon Strachan and he added: “They will be great occasions I hope.
“I’m sure he (Strachan) is looking forward to it. I’m sure he’ll be as excited as I am myself. It’s tough, there are other groups we might have preferred to be in but we’ll get on with it.
“Germany you would say are the outstanding side in the group but there’s plenty to fight for.”
Germany are the clear favourites to win the group but their head coach Joachim Low believes the fixtures against Scotland and the Republic will be tough.
Scotland held Germany to a 1-1 draw in Glasgow in a Euro 2004 qualifier in 2003, and lost narrowly in Dortmund 2-1 in the return fixture.
Low said: “We know the Scottish team will be physically strong and it has always been hard for Germany when we have played against them in the past.
“Gordon Strachan was a good tough player and his team will be the same.
“Martin O’Neill has been a top manager for a long time and his team will be a challenge too.”FULL DRAW:Group A
Holland
Czech Republic
Turkey
Latvia
Iceland
Kazakhstan
Group B
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Belgium
Israel
Wales
Cyprus
Andorra
Group C
Spain
Ukraine
Slovakia
Belarus
Macedonia
Luxembourg
Group D
Germany
Republic of Ireland
Poland
Scotland
Georgia
Gibraltar
Group E
England
Switzerland
Slovenia
Estonia
Lithuania
San Marino
Group F
Greece
Hungary
Romania
Finland
Northern Ireland
Faroe Islands
Group G
Russia
Sweden
Austria
Montenegro
Moldova
Liechtenstein
Group H
Italy
Croatia
Norway
Bulgaria
Azerbaijan
Malta
Group I
Portugal
Denmark
Serbia
Armenia
Albania
France*
*France qualify as hosts, but will play friendlies against teams in Group I. There will be no points awarded for games in which France figure, so these will have no affect on the Group I table. The top two teams from each group plus the third-placed team with the best record qualify automatically for the finals. The remaining eight third-placed teams will contest play-offs. Qualifiers to be played between September 7 2014 and October 13 2015. Play-off matches to be played in November 2015.