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Gordon Strachan: Scotland won't treat England game as a friendly

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In form Scotland ready for England clash (1:13)

Scotland trained in preparation for their international friendly meeting with 'Auld Enemy' England in Glasgow. (1:13)

Scotland are treating Tuesday night's encounter with England as a competitive game rather than a friendly, according to manager Gordon Strachan.

Strachan told a news conference on Monday that he faces a selection headache because everyone in his squad is desperate to play against the "Auld Enemy."

"We put the training on today, thinking we'd just take it easy," he said. "We got into a game situation and it was intense. It was like first day at preseason with these guys.

"I have so many players wanting to play tomorrow night, and so there's one or two bumps this morning.

"I would love to give everybody the experience of playing in the game, but I've got to balance the fact that I want to win the game as well.

"Everybody involved is a competitor, they'll want to compete. It'll be the same on the other side. That's what we had the other night, but we had a wee bit of magic that allowed us to win [the 1-0 Euro qualifying victory over Republic of Ireland on Friday, when Shaun Maloney's beautifully-crafted winner decided a tense contest].

#INSERT type:image caption:Strachan says everyone in his squad wants to play against England. END#

"It will be as intense tomorrow, I think. We'll enjoy it as well. The English players will enjoy the atmosphere as we did. I'm sure the Irish players enjoyed the atmosphere as well, even if they didn't enjoy the result.

"It was physical but fair. People made it out to be a bloodbath, but it was nothing like that. It was people going toe-to-toe and respecting each other. There's a big difference between that and a bloodbath."

Strachan took Scotland to London last August, when they lost 3-2 in a thrilling encounter that revived public interest in the oldest international fixture in football.

"We need to keep up the standard," he said. "You can only play it if the public want it. The public definitely enjoyed the last game. Everyone in London seemed to enjoy the atmosphere. The players liked it, that's for sure."

Hull City defender Andy Robertson, 20, echoed his manager's sentiments, saying: "When I grew up, the Scotland and England game was a thing of the past.

"But we all grew up knowing about it and knowing the history of it. The game returned last year, and to be a part of it will be a great occasion to be involved in."

Strachan confirmed that Darren Fletcher did not take part in training after illness, with the same applying to James Morrison, but both will continue to be part of the squad.

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon is set to make his first national team appearance in four years. The Celtic player was without a club for two of those years after a serious knee injury.