Scotland star Robert Snodgrass insists a match against England still feels extra special.
The Scots face the Auld Enemy at Hampden in a World Cup Group F qualifier on Saturday, with not only the dream of going to Russia next summer on the line but also Gordon Strachan’s future as manager dependent on the result.
Lose and it will be curtains for both.
The stakes could hardly be higher but, even if they weren’t, Snodgrass feels that merely facing the English is enough to be getting excited about.
Back in the day when live TV football was rationed, the annual clash between world football’s oldest rivals would be a must-watch game.
Now when most of us are a switch away from an El Clasico, English Premier Super Sunday or Champions League star-studded clash, it could be argued that the Scots meeting the English isn’t the big deal it once was.
However, Snodgrass said: “This game takes care of itself.
“There is a different sort of edge when you come up against England.
“Even when it’s a friendly game you still get that fear in you that if you get beat it won’t be good but if you win it will be the best thing going.
“I would be sitting here lying to you if I said it was just a normal game.
“If you are not up for this match then I don’t know what’s wrong with you.”
The West Ham man, who missed a great chance to score at Wembley when the Scots lost 3-0 in November, has not yet tasted success against the Auld Enemy but he has still enjoyed facing them.
“It was shocking, what happened down there, to be quite honest with you,” he said of that loss to the English.
“You are on the other side of it when you get beaten by them.
“There were probably only three moments and a three-minute difference between the teams.
“Had we taken our chances we could have been victorious at Wembley.
“However, that’s why these lads (the England players) are at the top at every level and in every position because they are guys who can score goals at any minute.
“But they can be got at.
“Also, I love the feeling of playing against them – I love it.
“The rivalry has always been there, with your parents bringing you up (so that) when England were playing you would get the opposite team’s top on and all that stuff. You would be cheering on that team.
“It’s the way we have always been brought up and it’s no different now.
“When you get the chance to play against them it’s big and it’s one we are all looking forward to.
“You are going in there believing you can get a result because you are so up for the game.
“The passion and drive is attached to it.
“You don’t even think about anything other than beating England.
“People will remember you for years to come it if happens because there aren’t too many times it has happened.”
For Snodgrass, one of the big reasons why the Scots should be confident despite being underdogs is the fine display in their last qualifier in March, when Chris Martin’s last-gasp goal secured a deserved 1-0 win over Slovenia.
Asked if the team should be optimistic, he said: “I think so after the last performance, when I thought we were brilliant.
“We needed Chris to pop up in the last couple of minutes with the winner but we created a lot of chances in that game.
“It was probably the game where I felt we were right back to how we were when the manager first came in.
“We played with no fear and people were taking the ball in tight areas, passing, moving and creating chances.
“I think that was the match that we were back to it.
“So we have to try and build on that.”
