Bruce and the spider didn't come into it but there was a distinct echo of the legend as George Burley contemplated Scotland's climactic encounter with the Dutch on Wednesday night at Hampden Park.
It would not be true to say that a victory would be Burley's equivalent of Bannockburn – such is the possible tangle of permutations and, at best, the World Cup play-off round still to be negotiated – but should Scotland emerge from this fixture with three points the manager will have gone some way to confound the legion of critics and sceptics who have damned his efforts throughout a stormy qualifying campaign.
As he has traversed an extraordinary number of setbacks on and off the field over the last year or so, Burley has presented an almost eerie calm and a rictus grin – think Stepford manager – but as he has been forced to confront the possibility that his time is almost up, a more animated individual has emerged from the shell of enforced cheerfulness.
Prior to the weekend victory over Macedonia he swore in front of the assembled broadcasters and yesterday Burley rounded on a newspaper journalist whom he accused of undue negativity.
Having got that off his chest, Burley then – after the fashion of Bruce contemplating his inspiring arachnid – reviewed the obstacles he has had to overcome, first as a footballer and then in his managerial career.
"As a player in 1981 I tore my cruciate ligament and cartilage and was told by the top knee specialist in the world that I would never play again. A year later I was at the World Cup in Spain," he said.
"I had three play-offs with Ipswich that I missed out on, but with the fourth I won promotion and finished fifth the next year. I was written off here before I started the job. We have been in a campaign where after one loss people said we wouldn't qualify, then after one win that we could.
"It has been a tough challenge. There is one game to go with all to play for and we are determined. It is a test of character in football as in life.
"You are only as good as your last game. There will always be ups and downs, knockbacks, whatever, but you have to be strong, do what you believe in and work hard at it.
"You have to make yourself better. When you are 24 and you are told you will never play again, that is a big test. It has been an honour to manage my country so I have no complaints. I have a great family, the best wife in the world.
"I am looking forward to Wednesday. I am not going to be negative. We are going to give it our best shot and if we are passionate and show courage and belief and bravery – everything that is good about Scotland – we can win.
"We'll need all of that to do it. All I am talking about is going out and winning the game. If we win we will get into the play-offs, I'm sure of it.
"That's the only thing in my thoughts. It was terrific coming off at Hampden on Saturday and we aim to try to do it again. With any game you have to look at your own side, look at who you are playing against and decide your formula.
"We have to respect Holland but we can't be fearful of them. We have to compete, close them down and win the 50-50s all over the field. We have to be better than them at all the basics.
"Technically they have superb players, but if we can get the basics right then I feel we can get stronger as the game goes on, and I felt we showed a lot of energy through the side on Saturday."
As matters stand, the Scots will need a substantial dollop of good luck, a commodity denied Burley throughout this campaign. James McFadden's contentious booking against Macedonia has deprived Scotland of their most creative force and the manager is sweating on the fitness of another inspirational figure, Craig Gordon.
As much as McFadden's sublime goal subdued Macedonia, Gordon's first-class reflexes kept them at bay when he blocked three times from Goran Pandev. Gordon didn't train at Hampden yesterday because of a recurrence of the troublesome thigh injury and last night he was rated as 50/50 to start, although Burley is prepared to contemplate a restricted contribution by his first choice goalkeeper.
"Craig felt his thigh after he played against Stoke City in his last league game," said Burley. "It settled down but he aggravated it on Saturday so we will have to see how it is tomorrow morning.
"He finished the Stoke game no problem but he's strained the thigh. He was able to do his goalkeeping work last week but the problem was his kicking, so we will give him every opportunity and see how he is tomorrow.
"I wouldn't be against playing him with the injury. If he can do his goalkeeping work, that is the key. We can get someone to do the kicking for him if needs be. He is such a key member of the team. I think we have only conceded three goals when he's played in this campaign, so we will give him every chance.
"In the Macedonia game Pandev got through and Craig made big saves but that's what you want from your goalkeeper. It didn't stop us creating chances."
At least Burley will have the combative Scott Brown available. The player has responded well to treatment on the ankle he jarred on Saturday and will line up alongside Darren Fletcher in central midfield, although speculation that Gary Caldwell will be used in that department is wide of the mark.
The Dutch want to finish their Group Nine campaign with a perfect record. Should they achieve that ambition and if either Norway or Macedonia win in Oslo, the Scots will finish third in the table and Burley will make his exit from the international scene.
On the face of it, given the gulf between the respective resources of the Dutch and Scots, Burley's job is hanging by a thread. But, as Robert the Bruce might have said, it's never over until the spider stops spinning.
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