The Scotland players trained at Hampden on Sunday ahead of Monday's big match against the world champions

Scotland boss Gordon Strachan to make changes against Germany

By Chris McLaughlin Golsicilia.it Sport

Scotland manager Gordon Strachan says he intends to make changes to his team ahead of Monday's Euro 2016 qualifier against Germany at Hampden.

The squad trained on Saturday despite returning to Glasgow from the 1-0 loss in Georgia at 06:00 BST, and were at Hampden on Sunday for another session.

Asked if he would "freshen things up" Strachan replied: "Yes.

"The work rate with this squad is unquestionable. These guys play for Scotland for nothing."

He added: "You've got to admire what they do because international football is getting a lot harder than when I played."

The manager said the Scotland camp "had suffered a bit" in the wake of the defeat in Tbilisi which, with the Republic of Ireland's win over Gibraltar, left Scotland fourth in Group D and out of the play-off spot with three games to go.

Gordon Strachan and coaches Mark McGhee and Stuart McCall take training at Hampden

"I'll say it again: we didn't do enough to win the game [in Georgia] but we definitely did enough not to lose the game," he told reporters at Hampden.

"They played the way I wanted them to play apart from the last third.

"We will deal with that disappointment and we look forward to this wonderful challenge of playing the world champions."

Strachan said the full squad had trained and that, he felt, was further proof of his players' positive attitude.

He said: "There are some places where, after disappointment, there are a lot of injuries – there are absolutely none [here]."

The manager said the delay at the airport in Tbilisi had made "no impact on the schedule whatsoever in terms of the preparation" for the match against the Group D leaders.

"The players give me hope, the fact we're playing here gives me hope," he said.

"In all the games apart from Gibraltar, there's only been one goal of a difference – that gives me hope.

"Germany are starting to roll now. They are over that transitional period, they are looking good again. There is a lot to admire in German football. It's the one international side I admire more than anybody else."

Strachan revealed what he thought his players would have to do to beat Joachim Low's side.

He said: "[Be] good defensively, patient but still be in a position to get at the German lads and put them under pressure, incredibly brave when we get the ball.

"It has to improve only in the last third. We feel that we could have done better there, we just have to get that final pass spot on.

"The big difference in international football is the last third."