Steve Clarke has sent his Scotland players back to their families before the Euro 2020 tournament bubble is formed.
And the national coach dismissed the idea that this will be an unnecessary pre-competition risk.
Clarke had to do without John Fleck, who tested positive for Covid-19, and six other members of his squad for the recent friendly in Portugal against the Netherlands.
But he believes that letting the group go home ahead of a Wednesday return for the duration of the Euros is just part of “learning to live” with coronavirus, as will be the case for every other country in the championships.
“We wanted two good results in the friendlies and we did that,” said Clarke. “And now we go home for a couple of days to relax before we’re in camp and the serious business before the first game against the Czechs.
“It’s a bit of respite for the players.
“I think it’s important for a couple of days to let them go home and relax. It’s a break they need because it has been an intense period.
“With the Covid situation it’s better to let them go to their families rather than try to get the families to come to the team hotel or whatever.
“I think it’s a good idea and we will reconvene on Wednesday night at our hotel at Rockcliffe and take it from there.”
It’s safe for them to go home and spend time with their families.
Clarke added: “It’s safe for them to go home and spend time with their families.
“We don’t expect to see any of them going out and about.
“We had six out of the Netherlands game last week so they know how close Covid still is.
“Since the start when we brought football back we have preserved the security around the Covid bubble.
“What happened last week as just an early reminder that the Covid was there.
“It’s not going to go away this year. I don’t think it will go away next year either. We have to learn to live with it.”
#SCO set themselves up for #Euro2020 with a 1-0 win over 10-man Luxembourg but their final warm-up should have been much more comfortable.
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) June 6, 2021
Meanwhile, the link-up of Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes in the 1-0 victory over Luxembourg has given Clarke food for thought as he seeks to get off to a Euros flier against the Czech Republic on Monday.
“That was one of the exercises I wanted to try out in the two friendly games,” he said.
“It was good to get them both on the pitch and take the chance to get a look at that combination.
“It was a good one. Even if it’s not always how you start the game it’s something you can go to.
“We go into the tournament with a real positive attitude.
“We want to enjoy it and the best way to enjoy it is to go out there and play your best football.
“We will try to be on the front foot as much as we can.
“I don’t think we have to be afraid. Over a period of time we have worked hard on trying to get better and better
“They gained confidence and definitely got a big shot in the arm when they managed to break the hoodoo and qualify in the game against Serbia.
“I think since then they have started to believe in themselves a wee bit more and the more good results you get against good teams then the more you believe. We have worked hard over the last year or 18 months.
“We have put together a decent run of two defeats in 16 games.
“We are in a good place going into the tournament and we just want to be competitive and do the very best we can.”
Having fans in the national stadium for two of their group games won’t hurt the Scotland cause.
“We look forward to having as many members of the Tartan Army against the Czech Republic as possible,” said Clarke
“It might be that 12,000 at Hampden doesn’t sound a lot. But they will make enough noise for this team, I’m sure of that.
“They will be delighted to be back in the stadium and we are equally delighted to have them back.
“We are going to go out and do our best in the tournament for the fans, that’s all we can promise.
“Hopefully that’s enough to make people proud and take us far.”
