Scotland are set to face a "play-off before the play-offs" against Greece and Denmark in their pursuit of a World Cup place, according to assistant coach Steven Naismith. The Scots are level on points with Denmark, who top the group on goal difference, while Greece and Belarus cannot reach next year's finals in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Naismith likened Scotland's situation to "a play-off before the play-offs". This means that if they win their remaining games, including the home fixture against Denmark, they will secure a spot at the World Cup. However, if they draw or lose, they must beat Denmark in order to advance to the finals.
The trio of Greece, Scotland, and Denmark are locked in a tight battle for two spots at the World Cup. The Greek side has shown flashes of brilliance but ultimately fell short against Scotland earlier this year when Naismith's team won one leg of their Nations League play-off tie.
Naismith believes that his players have gained valuable experience from making consecutive European Championships, which will serve them well in this World Cup push. However, he also acknowledges the emotional toll that a long and grueling qualification campaign can take on both players and fans alike.
Despite Billy Gilmour's injury scare - the midfielder missed Napoli's past two games with a groin issue - Naismith remains optimistic about his availability for the Denmark game. A "good chance" of being fit again by next week, Naismith hopes that this will give Gilmour time to recover fully.
The World Cup qualification campaign has been a rollercoaster ride so far for Scotland, but with a few crucial wins, they could be on their way to history-making success in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Naismith likened Scotland's situation to "a play-off before the play-offs". This means that if they win their remaining games, including the home fixture against Denmark, they will secure a spot at the World Cup. However, if they draw or lose, they must beat Denmark in order to advance to the finals.
The trio of Greece, Scotland, and Denmark are locked in a tight battle for two spots at the World Cup. The Greek side has shown flashes of brilliance but ultimately fell short against Scotland earlier this year when Naismith's team won one leg of their Nations League play-off tie.
Naismith believes that his players have gained valuable experience from making consecutive European Championships, which will serve them well in this World Cup push. However, he also acknowledges the emotional toll that a long and grueling qualification campaign can take on both players and fans alike.
Despite Billy Gilmour's injury scare - the midfielder missed Napoli's past two games with a groin issue - Naismith remains optimistic about his availability for the Denmark game. A "good chance" of being fit again by next week, Naismith hopes that this will give Gilmour time to recover fully.
The World Cup qualification campaign has been a rollercoaster ride so far for Scotland, but with a few crucial wins, they could be on their way to history-making success in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
denmark & greece r killin it rn but scotlands got ths crazy "play-off before the play-offs" situation lol its like a whole nutha level of stress on them players & fans 
tho i can see why steven naismith's all optimistic about billy gilmour comin back 2 health, those groin issues r no joke 
but if scotland can just get ths last few wins they could def be headed 2 canada, mexico & the us 
but naismith is like the ultimate optimist he always seems so chill even when things r looking grim 
anyway lets keep fingers crossed for scotland they really do have this in them 
οΈ
we've seen greece get knocked out already and belarus isn't gonna make it... scotland needs to step up their game 
οΈ hopefully billy can recover in time for the denmark match 
... sounds like they're trying out some new marketing strategy or something 
anyway, i guess it's good that their coach is being optimistic about billy gilmour's injury... fingers crossed he doesn't break anything else (and not just because i'm a massive napoli fan 
I'm not surprised about Scotland's situation - it's like they're stuck in this never-ending play-off loop 
. They've got Denmark and Greece chasing them for two spots, and it's anyone's game at this point. 
. Fingers crossed for Billy Gilmour and I hope he makes a speedy recovery 
Just got out of bed this morning and already feeling like I'm stuck in some kinda nightmare 
. Did you see that Scotland's World Cup qualification campaign has turned into a play-off before the play-offs? 
Like, what even is the point anymore? They're basically saying they have to win all their games just to get in... how's that even possible? 
scotland is literally on the brink of something huge! if they can pull off this play-off thingy against denmark and greece, they'll be heading to the world cup for the first time in like ever!! 
Scotland's situation is literally like being stuck in a never-ending loop of "play-offs"! 
. Still, Scotland has got this! They've been grinding hard and have some experience from those European Championships under their belt 
I was at a Scotland match when we finally beat Greece last year and it was absolute pandemonium 
. The energy in the stadium was electric and I knew right then that this World Cup squad had something special.
. If he can make it back in time, I reckon we could be heading to that World Cup in style! 
. can't wait to see how it all unfolds! 
. And let's be real, injuries can pop up at any time - Billy Gilmour's injury scare is like life's unexpected detours 
. But the key is to stay positive and focus on what you can control 
. The Forum Philosopher's take? It's all about finding that balance between hope and reality 
. Scotland might just make history, but only if they keep pushing forward with heart and determination 
!
that sounds like a nightmare to me 
I'm actually feeling a bit anxious thinking about all these intense matches Scotland is going through 
. Fingers crossed for them, and here's hoping Billy Gilmour recovers soon 
. a play-off before the play-offs might sound harsh, but it's better to be safe than sorry, right? if they win their remaining games, i'm all for it 
. also, having experience from the european championships is a huge plus, even though it might have taken a toll on them physically and mentally 
. let's keep our fingers crossed for scotland! 
. They need to win their games and hope for a positive outcome against Denmark 
. This has the potential to be an epic story for Scottish football - here's hoping they can make history