Scotland manager Craig Levein claims Wednesday night's friendly against Denmark is a worthwhile exercise and could prove crucial to their Euro 2012 qualification hopes.
Levein knows some club managers are unhappy with the timing of the international fixtures at a time when most teams are just starting their domestic campaigns. While Levein can appreciate their side of the argument, he believes the chance to spend time with his players is essential ahead of next month's double-header against the Czech Republic and Lithuania.
"I've got a great deal of sympathy for club managers, having been on the other side of the fence," said Levein.
"The very nature of what I'm trying to do as a national manager and what they want doesn't quite mesh together.
"We've got to find this common ground where I do my best to try to keep the clubs happy and they have to trust in sending their players on internationals and also understand that sending their players on international duty should add value to the players, whether it be experience or financial value."
He continued: "I deliberately picked a tough fixture. I felt, coming in to play two competitive matches at home against the Czech Republic and Lithuania, it would be good for us to play somebody of a standard and who was comparable to, particularly, the Czech Republic."
The Scottish Premier League kicked off last month, while the npower Championship began at the weekend and the Barclays Premier League gets under way this weekend.
Levein added: "There is a small question mark on current form because I can only pick based on last season and some of the matches that I have seen.
"I have had conversations with managers, particularly Premiership managers who have guys who haven't played a competitive game yet, and there is huge encouragement from what I'm hearing about how the players have settled in and how they are performing.
"It all points in the one direction to us getting better. Whether that's enough to win this game, I don't know. But we are in a good place, I know that for a fact."
Source: PA
