Steve Clarke has slapped a gag on all talk of Scotland having a play-off place in the bag as plots a way to stun Spain at Hampden.
The Scotland boss has shelved the fact that his team already has the safety net of a play-off through their Nations League heroics and is adamant that it has not been mentioned in the camp that is fully focused on qualifying for the Euros by the traditional route. Cyprus were beaten on Saturday and the Spanish big guns are in town on match night two in front of a sell-out Hampden crowd that has seen enough to believe that an upset is possible.
Clarke wants nothing but a positive mindset from his men and a steadfast belief that they are good enough to emerge from Group A with a place at the Euros earned without the need for that play-off. And he is convinced that his team is good enough to shock Spain under the lights at the National Stadium.
