“TECHNICALLY we’re fine,” Gordon Strachan said after becoming agonisingly close to reaching the World Cup play-offs on Sunday night. “But our guys have to work harder to get on the ball than bigger lads at six foot three. Genetically we are behind. In the last campaign we were the second smallest squad behind Spain. 

“That means that I had to pick a team tonight to try and combat their height and strength. Even at that, we couldn’t combat their height and strength at set plays. Genetically, we have to work at things. It is a problem for us.”

I’ve covered many a post-game press conference and granted, I wasn’t at this one, but genetics is an excuse I haven’t heard of before.