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Triple header v best in Europe helps us-Clarke

- DAVID McCARTHY

Nobody can accuse Steve Clarke of taking an easy route to make his already impressive Scotland record look better.

Yes, Spain in Seville a week tonight is one he couldn't avoid.

But the others were handpicked friendlies designed to harden his side to the rigours of playing against some of the best planet football has to offer.

Unpalatable as that may be for some of the Tartan Army to swallow, England showed they are just that with last month's 3-1 win at Hampden.

The team who were a penalty kick away from being world champions just under 10 months ago may well do the same in Lille on October 17.

Before that, though, if things fall into place, Scotland may well be the first nation to reach the Euros and Clarke believes preparing his side for Germany can be best achieved by taking on the top guns.

He said: "Being the first to qualify would be nice because that's the objective - to qualify.

"The sooner we can do it, the better. We've got Spain next and we have a lot of respect for Spain.

"They are the pot one team and seem to have hit a good bit of form in the last couple of qualifying games with 13 goals. We know it's going to be a tough night but we will be prepared when we go there.

"And if we can get the positive result that qualifies us, that would be a big boost doing it so early.