RYAN CHRISTIE knows Scotland’s success under Steve Clarke isn’t any coincidence.
For the past three years, the national team boss has been meticulously building a squad and a system to springboard the side to success.
It’s paying dividends – after qualification for Euro 2020, a first major finals in well over two decades, the Scots are just two games away from a first World Cup finals since 1998.
Ukraine visit Hampden on Wednesday next week in the play-off semi final.
If that tie is successfully negotiated, then it’s a meeting with Wales in Cardiff a week on Sunday with a place at Qatar 2022 on the line.
After joining up with the squad, Christie delved into just what makes the atmosphere Clarke has set within the national side so club-like.
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The Bournemouth man says there’s always a ‘buzz’ when the squad gets together for these occasions.
Christie told BBC Sportsound: “We don’t say it lightly. It’s been built up over two, two and a half years now with this squad.
“You can just notice it when everyone meets up.
“Everyone’s just got a buzz to see everyone again and be together as a group. It’s definitely the best type of chemistry I’ve been a part of when I’ve been away in the Scotland team.
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“It’s amazing to be a part of. What’s helped is that we’ve started to become successful together. That’s what we want to carry on doing.”
Christie himself became a hero by bagging the goal against Serbia in the Euro 2020 play-off final and several other stars have had their big moment.
But it’s the boss for whom Christie has reserved special praise for overhauling how the national team operates.
The former Celtic man said: “I think if you ask any of the boys who have been here since he first came in, he’s not once gone against this word or changed his ideas.
“He’s been so straightforward. The difference now is you see it in the way we play.
“We’ve got our set formation that he likes and that everyone knows exactly what’s expected of them in their role.
“Everyone knows what the manager expects you to do on and off the ball. We’ve been playing and training that way for so long under him now that it’s really starting to show.
“Like I said, all of the boys I’m guessing, they’ll speak just as highly as me about him.
“It’s not just a coincidence the success we’ve had now under him.”
The backdrop for the game has been rightly overshadowed by the events in the nation following Russia’s invasion, and while it pales into insignificance compared to the Ukraine preparations, it’s been a different sort of preparation for Scotland too.
With the game pushed back and uncertainty over whether it would even be played, Scotland watched on as Wales beat Austria to secure their berth in the final.
Christie knows it’s been a horrendous time for Ukraine, and he’s glad the Scotland team could play their part in fundraising back in March.
He insists now, however, all Scotland can do is be professional and focus on the task ahead.
Christie added: “You don’t take away anything from what’s going on in that side of the country.
“All the players were delighted we could do our bit in March to support that.
“Now, with a few days left until the game it’s time to dial in. What’s happening is happening.
“We’re desperate to get to a World Cup, we want to win this football match as much as we can.
“We know how important it is to us, to everyone in this country and we’ll be concentrating on the football from now on .”
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