Smith plans to rebuild fortress Hampden
Scotland manager Walter Smith is determined to use forthcoming friendlies to turn Hampden Park into a fortress for the Euro 2008 qualifiers.
The Scots saw their hopes of a World Cup play-off place evaporate last weekend with the single-goal defeat by Belarus at the nationalstadium.
But the display in the 3-0 win in Slovenia on Wednesday was widely regarded as one of the best in recent memory by Scotland.
The Scottish Football Association are expected to announce a game against Belgium or Portugal next month, while Switzerland arrive in Glasgow next March.
The former Everton and Rangers boss does not want to lose the momentum of the midweek win in Celje but he maintains home performances must improve for a successful Euro 2008 campaign.
Smith said: “We want to improve at Hampden, we have to adjust to that more than anything else.
“Confronted by teams who will sit back and defend as we’ve been doing away from home, we must find a way of applying pressure without leaving ourselves too open at the back.
“It’s sometimes easier to organise in away games and get results – at home the onus is on us to create.
“We have to translate away form to home form but it’s easier said than done and is a problem for many coaches.
“We have a friendly at home next month and one at Hampden in March against Switzerland that will give us a chance to impose ourselves on the opposition without having the pressure of a competitive clash.”
