What they said: Strachan & Hodgson ahead of Scotland v England

In case you’ve been living under a rock, it’s England facing Scotland in Glasgow to round the international break and calendar year off, with the hosts 5/2 chances with Coral to defeat their Auld Enemy.

Many an influential player or manager have had their say about this battle between the bitterest of rivals. We’ll start with someone stating the obvious about this oldest international football fixture…

Versatile Scotland player Charlie Mulgrew: “There’s never a friendly between Scotland and England.”

And ex-England captain and former Hibernian boss Terry Butcher agrees: “It will be a massive test, huge. If the England team and supporters think this is going to be comfortable, a nice quiet friendly, they have got another thing coming.

“I think that this will be, without a shadow of a doubt, the most hostile environment England will face before they get to Euro 2016. This is a friendly but England and Scotland don’t do friendlies in any sport at any level.

“It is going to be an unbelievably hostile night. Celtic Park will be bouncing with the Tartan Army buoyant on the back of a Scotland team they are very optimistic about.

“Roy Hodgson may throw a line out that he may rest some players, but he will need all his most experienced players in this one. It won’t be for the faint-hearted.”

Strong and accurate words indeed. Speaking of England manager Roy Hodgson, here’s his two pence on this ‘friendly’ between Auld Enemies: “I’m sure each challenge will be competed for but Scotland aren’t that type of team and set their stall out to play football like we do.

“The game at Wembley last year was fantastic for us, we had to pull out all the stops. For me that’s the type of friendly you want.

“The major focus here is on Fraser Forster and if I choose him it won’t be for any sentimental reasons at Celtic Park, it will be because he deserves a start. I will disappoint one goalkeeper but I don’t want to say which one of them I have chosen.”