STUART McCALL scored in a World Cup, did so twice in a FA Cup Final, enjoyed great success and a recent awful heartache at Rangers and once fell off a car while tipsy as he celebrated promotion with Bradford City.

In short, there is very little this guy has not experienced in all his days as player, coach and manager.

So it says a lot that when asked if he had ever been involved in a game such as this one on Thursday, and we all surely know what the result against Poland will do for our country’s psyche, then despite some brain wracking he could not think of a similar situation he went through.

So much pressure, so much to gain and lose, and as kick-off time approaches, the nerves will be stretched to breaking point.

It’s what supporting Scotland is all about.

McCall said: “I can’t think that I ever played in a game in my international career like the one we have coming up. Maybe a win against Greece at Hampden which got us to Euro 96. So it’s a huge game.

“There is pressure. Things have changed. You can sense that in the country wherever you go. I have been to London a couple of times and you meet folk at the airport and they are nervous, whereas before it was all positive.

“The Georgia game was disappointing. We always knew that would be a sticky game, that someone would win by the odd goal, the performance against Germany was okay and now we have Poland at home and it’s the most important one.

“I imagine we are tense. The coaches, the fans, the media. But we don’t want the player to feel any anxiety or pressure. We want them go out there and be the best that they can be. We have confidence that we get a result against Poland.

“It is disappointing that we aren’t going into this game hoping for second place, as we are a few games ago, but we have to come to terms with that we can get third and of we are in France next year and we’ve had to go through a play-off then nobody will care how we got there. It is still there for us.”

McCall is just the man to talk to ahead of such a game because he is such a positive guy.

As soon as the tape recorder stops, you shake hands with him and wish the team luck, and so good is he at making things look good that it is difficult not to feel that Scotland will win at a canter and everything is going to be okay.

He said: “There are a lot of possible scenarios, but we have got to win our game. If we were to get a point, not what we are after, and Ireland were to lose their games then we would be there, but there will be no thinking about that.

“As good a side as Poland are, we believe we are a good side and can win if we play well. It will be tight and tense, and the hope is the players relish that challenge – and that goes for the supporters.

“I have a lot of family and pals going to the game and there is a different mind-set compared to the Germany game when there was so much excitement. So don’t come tense, come with your voices and flags in the air.

“All the games have been tight. I would take another 1-0 as we did against Georgia and Ireland. If the goal comes late than it comes late.

"I remember Stephen McManus scored in the 97th minute against Liechtenstein. I was actually there and left after 96 minutes, then heard a roar from the stands.

“As a group, over the next few days, we will get the players to concentrate on their football, their jobs. The manager has some big decisions to make.

“I was asked the other day how I was feeling. Well, once the team is named and discussed the substations then it’s down to the players. As a player, I loved these big games because you could do something about it.”

McCall in his role as Strachan’s number three can do something about it and if the players are able to nick some of his positivity then we might just have a chance.