Black pleased with Scotland's La Manga trip

24 March 2011 09:00

Coach Kenny Black believes the team spirit forged during their training camp in La Manga this week will boost Scotland's hopes of qualifying for Euro 2012.

The players have enjoyed a couple of days of rest, relaxation and golf at the Spanish resort and will now turn their focus to Sunday's friendly against Brazil. And Black believes the team bonding session could be beneficial for Craig Levein's men when Scotland resume their Group I campaign against Czech Republic and Lithuania in September.

He told the Scottish Football Association's official website: "So far it has been an excellent exercise in trying to bring that club mentality to the team."

He added: "We are staying in a top-class resort with top-class facilities and then we have the best of both worlds, we have a couple of days of relaxation and then the serious element of preparing for one of the best teams in world football.

"This experience will serve us well for resuming the Euro 2012 qualification campaign and you can see the lads are starting to believe in what is happening."

Scotland secured a 3-0 win over the Faroe Islands in November and followed that result with another victory over Northern Ireland in the Carling Nations Cup last month.

And Black is feeling optimistic ahead of the meeting with the Brazilians.

He said: "The recent games against the Faroes and Northern Ireland gave us an opportunity to blood some of the younger players and those who were deserving of an opportunity.

"The performances and the results speak for themselves and now the challenge is for this group to show what they are capable of."

Source: PA