Last updated : 05 September 2009 By Ed_ScottishFitba
If you are a success you stay in the job, if you are not then you leave.
Macedonia head coach Mirsad Jonaz believes the Scotland side are running scared of his top striker Goran Pandev by trying to brand him a diver. Simulation has been the number one topic in the wake of Arsenal star Eduardo being handed a two-game ban by UEFA for "deceiving the referee" to win a penalty against Celtic in their Champions League play-off clash at the Emirates Stadium last week. When the issue came up earlier in the week during one of the regular press conferences Scotland assistant Terry Butcher asked that the officials at Hampden be careful of Pandev's propensity for going to ground.
Jonuz considers that Butcher's comment is a sign that the Scottish camp is worried. He said: "It is wrong to compare him with Eduardo. He is a different type of player. He doesn't want to simulate. He is a big professional and always plays honestly. I think Scotland are afraid of him because Pandev is very dangerous and he could score. I expect him to repeat his performance against Spain when we play Scotland tomorrow."
Macedonia captain Goce Sedloski also jumped to the defence of the Lazio forward, who has scored 17 goals in 47 internationals. He said: "Anyone can say what they want about Pandev but I know him as a player and as a man and he always acts correctly, and never simulates. He is a good player, he has shown that in the qualification games and against Spain and there has only been one penalty for us in that time. I think the Scottish players respect him because he can decide the match in just one move."
Jonuz took over from Srecko Katanec, who left following Macedonia's 4-0 defeat to Holland in Amsterdam in April, but does not have much sympathy for counterpart George Burley, who looks certain to lose his job if Scotland fail to get all three points. Jonuz said: "The head coach is always in such a position. It is a hard job to do. If you are a success you stay in the job, if you are not then you leave. I think he is a good coach - but he was a better player. But we are focused only on our result, getting a draw or a victory. If we win it can give us a big opportunity to finish second and it can happen. We are not under pressure. We will try to win the game. If we are cautious it will be dangerous for us." Jonuz smiled when asked if the Macedonia public are expecting their national side to leave Glasgow with all three points. He said: "That is a provocative question. Do people in Scotland expect Scotland to win?"
Sedloski is hoping to take another step towards history with his country by winning today and setting up a second-place finish and a possible play-off spot. Macedonia became a member of FIFA and UEFA in 1994 after the break-up of Yugoslavia but have yet to qualify for a major tournament. Sedloski remembered playing in the 1998 World Cup qualification campaign when Macedonia came closest. He said: "We had to beat Lithuania twice to reach second spot in 1998 but we didn't do that and finished in fourth place. It happened a long, long time ago when I was much younger but it was a big disappointment. We are a small country and it would be a very big moment if we could reach the play-offs and qualify. Basketball and handball is big in our country but football is not so big. But we will focus on the match against Scotland and what will be will be. Scotland have good players who play in strong leagues in England and Scotland. Darren Fletcher is a top player but they are strong all over the pitch. But we have played against strong teams before. However, we know that we have to win at Hampden and after that we can look to the Norway game."
