The man who dropped out of favour at Celtic Park and spent much of the season in the reserves, Tosh McKinlay, looks set to play in Scotland's opening World Cup game against Brazil. Yesterday, as the squad moved on to Washington, manager Craig Brown gave the broadest hint yet as to the composition of the team for the first match in France against the world champions.
McKinlay will take the field against the United States tomorrow while Christian Dailly, a success against Colombia in New York, will cross to the other flank. Brown explained his strategy when he said: ''We have to look for ways of scoring against Brazil, it is not just going to be a case of settling into defence.We want to have options up front and we believe that Tosh and Christian can provide these for us.
''I can see Tosh hitting long, cross-field balls and I can see Christian getting on the end of some of them. It is a way of placing some pressure on Roberto Carlos, if we possibly can.
''Jackie McNamara plays the ball short and this particular line-up will allow for the game to have even more width.''
McNamara will take over Celtic team-mate Craig Burley's position because Scotland's player of the year has a calf-muscle problem, and Brown will not risk his fitness with the finals looming. Nor will he take any chances with Rangers' Gordon Durie, who is still suffering from a hamstring strain. Again, France is considered more important than this warm-up game against the USA.
Brown also has injury worries over Billy McKinlay, who has a septic foot following an attack of blisters, and John Collins, who has a toe injury, though not the same one he had while playing for Monaco at the end of their season. Said Brown: ''We will take a look at John closer to the game but all the lads are in the same position as regards risking them before the finals.
''No chances at all will be taken at this late stage.''
There was better news, though, of Blackburn striker Kevin Gallacher, who is fit and will play in this weekend's game.
Therefore, Brown will have the opportunity he missed last Saturday when he had hoped to team up Gallacher with Celtic's Darren Jackson. That will be the starting partnership this time out.
Brown knows that the pressure will be on the Scots after USA coach Steve Sampson declared that his team will notch another victory on their way to France.
''Yes, he will believe that he can beat us because they have put together a good run of results and they want to keep that going,'' said Brown.
''They are no pushovers, but we know that and we have studied the video of their game against Kuwait last Sunday, when they looked very strong, indeed.
''However, this is the type of game we chose because we want to be in peak condition when we get to the finals. I did not think it was appropriate to play against weak opposition at this time.
''We were happy to test ourselves against Colombia and now the United States.''
Meanwhile, Leicester City defender Matt Elliott is anticipating the opportunity of playing against his team-mate, Casey Keller, who will be in goal for the United States.
Said Elliott: ''I didn't really talk about this because we were both waiting to see if we would be in our respective squads for the finals. But now, here we are. He is a very good goalkeeper, a marvellous shot-stopper and, unusually for a keeper, he is quite an intellectual.
''He is a very clever guy and a university graduate. That's not your normal goalkeeper, is it?
''He has done very well at Leicester since joining us and he is an ambitious lad who has worked very hard to get where he is now.
''I don't know if I shall be playing, but it would be interesting to come up against him if I am picked.''
Elliott may be on the bench, but it is much more likely that Brown will stand by the defensive trio of Colin Calderwood, Colin Hendry, and Tom Boyd.
Brazil is now the main target and these are the likely lads for that particular job.
q Premier League up and running - Page 45
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