Former Scotland boss Craig Brown has warned Gordon Strachan not to make the same mistakes as Craig Levein when it comes to selecting the fixture list for the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
The Dark Blues missed out on next year’s World Cup in Brazil after finishing fourth in Group A.
Levein’s squad got off to a wretched start when they could only draw their opening two matches against Serbia and Macedonia, despite staging both games at Hampden.
The former Dundee United and Hearts boss was relieved of his duties when he lost his next two qualifiers in Wales and Belgium but his replacement Strachan could not turn around the Scots’ fortunes, despite leading them to three wins from their final four group fixtures.
Scotland will begin their bid to end an 18-year wait to reach a major finals when they kick-off the road to France next September but Brown has advised Strachan to make sure his side starts on the road.
The 73-year-old said: “The fixtures didn’t help us at the start of the campaign. We had to win those two home games but of course we didn’t. After that it was catch-up time and then the confidence goes from the team a wee bit.
“Then at that point, you can’t say: ‘Well at least we’ve still got them to come at Hampden’.
“My advice would be to get your difficult opponents away from home first and then finish the campaign at home.”
Eight tournaments have now passed Scotland by since they competed in the 1998 World Cup but Brown says that under Strachan, those dark days in the international wilderness are sure to end.
“Gordon is doing a great job and it looks to me like Scotland will definitely qualify for the Euros. It will be a bit easier because there are 24 teams going to the next finals.
“Scotland are playing very well at the moment and these last two matches against Macedonia and Croatia have been a delight to watch.”