Iwelumo tips Scotland to qualify for the European Championships

Former Scotland striker Chris Iwelumo says he is excited about the progress of the national team and believes Gordon Strachan's side will qualify for the European Championships in France next year.

Scotland, who beat Northern Ireland 1-0 at Hampden on Wednesday, take on Group D basement boys Gibraltar at the same venue on Sunday in a crucial qualifier live on Sky Sports.

Despite the one-sided match, where Northern Ireland failed to have one shot on target, Iwelumo believes the Scots' 'professional performance' is the perfect warm-up for their European Qualifier this weekend.

The former Wolves striker also thinks the squad can go one better than their predecessors who reached the European Championship play-off’s in 2004 and book their spot in France next summer, claiming that “there’s a lot to be excited about.”

The Republic of Ireland scored seven against Gibraltar and I’d be hoping for Scotland to do the same on Sunday at Hampden.

He said: “Northern Ireland came with game plan, slowed it right down and parked the bus. It’s going to be very much the same against Gibraltar on Sunday. The Republic of Ireland went out and scored seven against them last time and I’d be hoping for Scotland to do the same.

“Matt Ritchie deserved his chance and I think he’ll get another. It’ll be either him or Shaun Maloney against Gibraltar. Jordan Rhodes has fallen away a little, but he’s back in form with Blackburn and he’s rightfully in there but it is high quality and high calibre players. I can see us qualifying and you never know what could happen.

“This is the best team by far and it starts from the top. Gordon Strachan has Mark McGhee in with him and had Stuart McCall and they’ve been fantastic. I played under Mark McGhee and they are proper leaders, they were leaders as players and they’ve carried that into their management but he’s got great players there.

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'Top level'

“The likes of James Morrison – there are eight playing in the Premier League and that says something for the international level, competing and performing consistently at the top level.”

When asked why Scotland hadn’t qualified for a major finals since the World Cup in France in 1998, Iwelumo said the standard of player becoming available for the national side has been improving over the last few years.

He added: “A lot of players were coming from League One, the Scottish SPL and Championship but now, more so, a large majority are playing in the Premier League and that can only be beneficial for the player.”

Brentford boss Mark Warburton also thinks Gordon Strachan will have learned a lot from the win over Northern Ireland and can see a bright future for the Scottish national team.

He said: “It was a very good exercise last night on a number of fronts - he'll have asked players about team unity and getting the bonding together as a work unit. Also I’m sure he’ll have asked about certain formations and aspects of play.

“They will have challenged individual players to look at certain patterns of play and he’ll have learned last night how they adapt and how they rise to the challenge and what they can take into the game at the weekend.

Gordon Strachan will have learned last night how his players adapt and how they rise to the challenge and what they can take into the game against Gibraltar.

“I think you have cycles of players coming through academies and teams; it’s luck of the draw in that respect but there’s no doubt about the quality and certain characteristics that I always associate with Scottish players and the work ethic, the character, the commitment allied to the technical ability as well. So now access to a bigger pool of players is being seen and they are going to reap the rewards.” 

You can watch Scotland take on Gibraltar live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 4.30pm this Sunday.