Scotland face ‘play-off before the play-offs’

World Cup qualifying: Greece v Scotland

Venue: Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus Date: Saturday, 15 November Time: 19:45 GMT

Scotland face “the play-off before the play-offs” against Greece and Denmark in pursuit of a World Cup place, says assistant coach Steven Naismith.

Steve Clarke’s side visit the Greeks on Saturday before completing their group campaign at home to the Danes next Tuesday.

The Scots are level on points with Denmark, who top the group on goal difference. Greece and Belarus cannot reach next year’s finals in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Group winners qualify while the runners-up enter the play-offs.

“Effectively a play-off before the play-offs.”

Greece beat Scotland over two legs in the last Nations League play-offs but lost at Hampden in October’s World Cup qualifier.

And Naismith commented: “All the games have been tight affairs, Greece, Denmark and ourselves will all have come into this thinking, ‘we can win the group’.

“Where Greece sit, they’ll feel quite hard done by with some of their performances. So, we know it will be a tough game.

Scotland are bidding to reach a men’s World Cup finals for the first time since 1998.

“The biggest thing I’ve noticed is that there’s a real understanding of what it takes to be successful,” said former Scotland forward Naismith.

“Making the two Euros has been so valuable to this squad. You can now see that there is a focus, an understanding that, ‘we need to do this to get to a major tournament’.

“We’ve got a squad here who’ve been really successful. That’s four campaigns in which we’ve made the play-offs for a World Cup, got to two Euros and got a real chance of making a World Cup tournament as well.

“Football is what the country lives and breathes. Scots are really emotional, so at times it can be tough. What has been shown is when we are united, the fans are up for it, the players are up for it led by the manager, we’ve been really successful.

“We’ve been to two major tournaments, probably not done ourselves justice at those tournaments and what an opportunity they’ve got to make massive history and get to a World Cup.

Midfielder Billy Gilmour has “a good chance” of being fit for the visit of Denmark, says Naismith.

The 24-year-old has been ruled out of Saturday’s clash with Greece after missing Napoli’s past two games with a groin injury.

He is not at the squad’s training base in Turkey but Naismith revealed there is still optimism that 43-cap Gilmour will be fit next week.

“Billy’s obviously picked up an injury a couple of weeks back,” said Naismith. “There was an argument to have him on site, but he’s better being at home and seeing how this week goes to give him the best chance to be ready, and that’s still a good, realistic possibility.

“The higher risk comes if you maybe force him into the first game when he’s not 100 per cent and damages more, whereas if you give him another week then the chances of him being at a really good level to go into that last game is high.