GRAEME SOUNESS rates the Old Firm game as the most intense fixture he was ever involved in but reckons the England versus Scotland rivalry ranks not far behind it. The former Liverpool midfielder played six times against the Auld Enemy in his Scotland career and captained his country in their 1985 Rous Cup victory over England at Hampden.

The former Rangers player-manager admitted that experience features “right up there” among his career highlights, and insisted this is a game players on both sides of the border look forward to as much as any other.

He said: “There is a misconception that Scotland are more passionate about this fixture than the English are. That's not the case. They want to beat us every bit as much as we want to beat them.

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“Having shared a dressing room at club level with these guys, when it came to Scotland versus England, you were desperate to beat them for the bragging rights. But, make no mistake, England wanted that as much as we did.

“I could not separate Rangers versus Celtic from Scotland versus England. I was playing against Phil Neal, who was really bitter against us. And so was Terry McDermott. They were my teammates but they used to try and kick me. But we were bitter towards them too. They unfortunately beat us more often than we beat them. Certainly the most intense game I've ever played in was the Old Firm but Scotland versus England was up there too, even if it is a different kind of game.”

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A poor start to this World Cup qualifying campaign has put additional pressure on manager Gordon Strachan ahead of this Friday’s meeting with England at Wembley. Souness, though, feels his former Scotland team-mate remains the best man for the job.

He added: “I was at a dinner at Hampden a few weeks ago and I didn't detect any sign that Gordon had lost his enthusiasm for the job. He is a mad, passionate football man. Is he the right man for the job? I don't see anyone out there who could do any better than him. Could we get someone in to replace Gordon who would get better results with the same players? No, I don't think so. I think he has them organised. He's working with a group of players that I feel he gets the most from. We are not great at the back and we are not scoring enough goals and that's a dangerous combination to have.”

Souness believes the modern Scotland and England sides are nowhere near as good as the ones he played for and against. He added: “Does it concern me that the Scotland team is full of guys from the English Championship? That's where we are.

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“The coaches down in England will be concerned that they don't have any main men who could go and play in the bigger teams. They've always had those guys but not anymore. It's a cycle England are in and it's a cycle we are in.

“We are a modest group. But England are a modest group as well. England, historically, have always had one or two players who would get into the Argentina team or German teams. They always had one guy who would get into any other national team. But England don't have that right now. It's two modest groups of players. Can Scotland go to Wembley and win? Yes, they can. Are they likely to do it? No they are not. For us to go down to Wembley and win every single player will have to play out of their skin. But you can't write them off.”