SCOTLAND manager Alex McLeish has vowed to excite the whole country once again by restoring their passion for the national side.

McLeish kicks off his second spell in charge of the country in a friendly against Costa Rica tonight at what will be a half-empty Hampden Park, with only around 20,000 tickets sold by yesterday afternoon.

The low-key nature of the occasion won’t matter to the 59-year-old though, who has a burning desire to finally lead the nation back to a major championship for the first time in over two decades and instill a winning mentality within his squad.

He has challenged his players to light the fire inside the bellies of the Tartan Army once more.

“We are aware it is our duty to try and restore that fervour,” said McLeish. “Winning helps that obviously, but we need to give a good performance level.

“I can only go on the people I’ve been in contact with. I’ve done some charity things and met the Tartan Army in London. They are still passionate about Scotland and we have to change the perception people don’t care.

“We are the ones who can change things. I’m not a player - but I can help to change the perception as well. It’s about getting people excited. And it’s about winning as well.

“We had a good unbeaten run under Gordon [Strachan]. He just missed out on the play-offs and we have to find a way to win consistently.

“Not just good performances - a winning mentality.”

The contrast between the atmosphere at tonight’s fixture and McLeish’s last game in charge of Scotland could hardly be starker, when the nation was gripped by a titanic tussle against Italy in the fight to qualify for Euro 2008.

Ultimately, the Scots feel to a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat and failed to make the tournament, but McLeish – who named Charlie Mulgrew as captain for the game yesterday - remembers well how his players captured the imaginations of the Scottish public, and hopes that he can rekindle some of the magic that existed within that side once more.

“It was a massive game,” he said. “And in the week leading up to it, you guys in the press built it up superbly.

“You knew it was one of the biggest games of your life. At 1-1 my career flashed before my eyes as James McFadden came in at the back stick for a ball across the face of the goal from Kenny [Miller] and could just not connect with it.

“We bombarded the Italians in the second half and Barry Ferguson pounded [Andrea] Pirlo, and I thought: ‘That Pirlo guy must be ready to retire’ – I didn’t know what age he was at the time, I think he played for about another ten years to an even better level!

“That’s the type of team we were at the time. Not just a swashbuckling happy-go-lucky side, we were organised at the back, with big David Weir marshaling the troops, as we expect Charlie [Mulgrew] to.

“I kind of felt it when Gordon was on that roll towards the end of the campaign, I really thought after the England game we would at least make the play-offs. It was the most exciting period for me since, just witnessing it and coming to some of the games.

“It is there for these guys. We are definitely capable of doing it. But they must believe.”