THE choice of Celtic Park as venue for tomorrow's crunch match against the Republic of Ireland has divided opinion.

Those against it argue that it will dilute Scotland's home advantage because so many of the visitors, including their manager Martin O'Neill, will feel at home in Paradise.

Toss in the ongoing disquiet over the minimal ticket allocation handed to the Irish fans - an understandable ploy by the SFA to maximise the Tartan Army's vocal impact - and you begin to understand why it should be a relief for all involved when the politicking ends and the football actually gets under way.

What is not up for debate is how important this European Championship qualifying tie is to both countries as they fast approach the first natural break in the race for a place at France 2016.

Scotland and the Republic have both made solid starts to their campaigns, underlining the reality that the signs of recovery shown since Gordon Strachan and O'Neill took over as respective managers were not smoke and mirrors.

The Irish have performed better than even their most ardent fan could have predicted, their draw in Germany and win in Georgia the highlights of an opening series of matches which have propelled them into joint top spot in Group D with Poland.

Scotland sit alongside Joachim Low's group favourites and world champions, with both poised three points behind the early leaders.

To head towards 2015 still trailing the Irish would leave a sour taste in the mouth of Strachan, his players and the Tartan Army's footsoldiers.

They are all anticipating a long-overdue return to the big stage, their first appearance at a finals since the 1998 World Cup in, ironically, France.

But, for all the progress that has been made under the new management team, everyone in the Scotland camp accepts they still have a long way to go to get to where they want to be.

Which is why a victory over the Irish will be targeted and welcomed but, if achieved, will be considered as simply another step along the way, albeit a very significant one.

Nobody in the Scotland set-up is contemplating defeat, especially as they recognise the huge importance of winning home games even when decanted from the National Stadium to the biggest football ground in the country.

But there is an equally firm belief that our Celtic cousins are formidable foes.

It can be construed as being every bit as important to knock the Irish off track as it will be to keep the Scottish bandwagon rolling.

KEEPER David Marshall, so often Scotland's hero in games over the past year, has the utmost respect for the national side managed by the man who gave him his big break in his career, O'Neill.

"Ireland have put good points on the board early while we have not taken as many as we believe we could have done," said the man who will return to Celtic Park for the first time since he left to join Norwich City in 2007.

The teams' respective results in Germany - where Scotland equalised before eventually going down 2-1 while the Irish performed a late smash-and-grab to take a shock point - illustrate this contrast perfectly.

"We were left feeling very disappointed by that final score in Germany," Marshall continued, "but we know the performance was there from us. It was a similar story for us in Poland where, again, we came away thinking that the way we had played was worth more than the point we got.

"But now, with the way the group is sitting, this game has become massive for both countries.

"Ireland want to build on their good start while we are desperate not to allow anyone to fly away from us."

Nothing will be decided tomorrow but impetus can be gained for whoever comes out on top at a crucial checkpoint in the race for France.

Marsh admitted: "It is still too hard to call who'll qualify from this group.

"But two of our next three games are against Ireland, so this is a very important period in the campaign.

"We are only looking as far as this match, however, as it is so important that we make the most of our home games.

"They are going to be massive for us if we are to make it to the finals in France.

"We just hope that we're not going to look back on our two games in Germany and Poland with regrets that we left behind points we felt we played well enough to take."

Scotland's next game in the race for Euro 2016 - the meat between the Irish sandwich - is against Gibraltar when the group's whipping boys come to Glasgow in March.

The international new boys are also scheduled to provide the opposition for Strachan's side when their qualification programme draws to an end next October.

The inclusion of the Gibraltarians in the group has all but guaranteed everyone else gets six points of a start.

The team that marked their competitive debut with a 7-0 thumping from Poland face another torrid time tomorrow when they meet Germany in Nuremberg.

SHOULD he be selected to play against Gibraltar, Marshall can expect a much quieter time than he will face when confronted by Robbie Keane et al.

But the extent to which each team's goals tally can be boosted in the games against them might have the final say in how the contenders are separated in this tightest of groups.

"We play Gibraltar in our final game but we have to make sure it is still in our own hands when that match comes around," said Marshall.

The Cardiff City captain knows that a nation expects and no mitigating factors will be accepted in their defence should they slip up in any game where they are in a position to take points, .

"We will be back playing at Hampden next year and we have to be prepared to make sure we don't come off the pitch with anything left to give," the goalie continued.

"We all expect Germany to show why they are World Cup winners and favourites to top the group. But it's going to be incredibly competitive for the two automatic qualification places and the play-off spot.

"Like Germany, Georgia have not started the campaign in the way they would have hoped. But I feel they will still have a say in this group."

SCOTLAND badly damaged the Georgians' hopes when they beat them 1-0 last month at Ibrox. For many, the Rangers stadium would have been the preferred venue again tomorrow night.

But Marshall is happy with the decision the SFA took.

He said: "I think they have made the right choice for this massive match.

"With more than 55,000 Scotland fans behind us, it doesn't really matter where it is played, they will make sure we have the advantage.

"I appreciate that the likes of Martin O'Neill plus Aiden McGeady, Robbie Keane and Roy Keane have a big history connected with Celtic Park.

"But this will be an international match and I'm sure that, on the night, the Tartan Army will ensure it is a real Scotland occasion."

It's a measure of just how important this match is to the supporters that it has completely overshadowed the big friendly against England four days later.

"The Ireland game is the only one people are talking about, " Marshall agreed.

"And it's the one everyone wants tickets to see."