Although the manager last week expressed confidence in McGregor’s two deputies – Matt Gilks of Blackpool and Cardiff City’s David Marshall – the recovery of the first choice keeper from the groin injury he sustained in last month’s friendly against Australia at Easter Road is a significant positive as Scotland open their campaign against capable and physical opponents in the first of a double header that will also see them at home to Macedonia next Tuesday.
McGregor kept a clean sheet for Besiktas in their win away to Karabukspor on Saturday and the 30 year-old will get his 23rd cap against the Serbs.
“I thought big Matt would probably have started the match but the experience of Allan McGregor is huge for us because he’s come over the distance and played in many, many major games – and they don’t come any bigger than Saturday’s game,” said Peter Houston, Levein’s assistant.
“When he got the injury against Australia the concern was that he was going to be ruled out even for the October game – so whatever they’ve done over there in Turkey, they’ve done well.
“He’s one of the best goalies about and I’ve said that for some time. You don’t realise how good he is until you work close with him. Hopefully he won’t have a lot to do on Saturday.
“It makes a huge difference to the defence, the back four – assuming the manager’s going to play a back four – that he’s there because of his experience of top level matches with Rangers and Scotland. Confidence comes from having somebody strong behind you and Allan’s up there with the best of them.
“You can knock it back to him. He’s decent on the ground, he can pass it out, he can lump it forward – he’s not fazed by pass-backs. When we were talking about the squad the other day Jim Stewart told us he’d be ready and I must say it put a big smile on my face. I always thought it could be a blow because of the inexperience of the other goalkeepers.
"I’d have been confident if Gilksie had been the man that was picked but having Allan back is that bit special and I’m delighted.
"The club obviously injected him and Allan must have felt better – and that’s the most important thing. If he had been injected and didn’t feel right he wouldn’t have played, whether the club had wanted to play him or not.
"Obviously the injury can’t be as bad as the scan first showed. He’s come through with flying colours. I spoke to Allan last night when he arrived and he felt brilliant – as long as he feels brilliant for the next 10 days.”
One player who has yet to join the squad is Kenny Miller – the Vancouver Whitecaps striker is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday morning – and his presence is, on past evidence, as important to the Scots in attack as McGregor at the back. Miller’s tally of 16 international goals exceeds by four the combined total of all the other seven scorers in the squad.
Houston nevertheless is satisfied that there is sufficient menace around the team to discomfit Serbia. “Well, we scored three against Australia in the last game and Kenny wasn’t anywhere to be seen,” he said.
“Against Slovenia it was Berra who scored – so there are goals in the team. It’s not down to Kenny Miller and Kenny Miller alone. Look at the players who are in the squad. Charlie Adams is scoring goals for his team, James Morrison’s doing it for his, Graham Dorrans is always a threat, James Forrest does it for Celtic.
“What they have to do is make sure that they’re in the team. Even in set plays we’ve got players who can do it. As long as we’ve got one more goal than Serbia on Saturday I’ll be delighted, whether it’s Kenny Miller or someone else who scores it.”
One man who would like to be granted a central attacking role is James Mackie. The QPR forward has already netted twice for his country in five outings but is evidently a frustrated centre-forward.
“I’m having this constant battle the whole time as I play a lot of time out wide for QPR and I’ve had discussions with the manager there about my best position being right down the middle,” he said.
“I know the competition here – as it is at my club – is very competitive but I feel that’s my best position. However, playing in a three, I’ve done it a lot and really enjoy it so I haven’t really got a problem with that.
“I’ll play anywhere to do well but I feel my strongest position is down the middle. Kenny’s scored a lot of goals at international level but there’s a lot of competition coming through with Jordan Rhodes who did well in the friendly against Australia and Ross McCormack also scoring.
“It is a chance to stake a claim to be playing up there as well. However, I’m not really playing there for my club so it’s a hard one for me.
“I would love the chance to play up front but it’s not about me – it’s about what’s best for the squad. I have had a discussion with Craig Levein about playing down the middle in the past and I’ve had the chance to play there for Scotland, but the last couple of times I’ve played in a three and enjoyed that as well.
“I’m sure this week we’ll have a discussion and see where I fit in and where he feels I’m best for him. Every manager will have a different view and I’m fully prepared to play where I’m asked to.”
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