Scotland skipper Scott Brown has insisted that Gordon Strachan’s men have their own star players capable of silencing Poland tonight.

The build-up to this evening’s penultimate Euro 2016 qualifier has been dominated by headlines about forward Robert Lewandowski, who has scored ten goals for the Poles in this campaign.

However, Brown believes that while the potency of the Bayern Munich striker cannot be underestimated, that the reliance of the visitors on the celebrated player gives the Scotland players their own chance to shine.

Scotland traditionally play up the cohesion, unity and team-spirit, characteristics that have compensated for the lack of world-class performers. But Brown has maintained that there is a considerable talent pool for Strachan to draw on tonight.

“We have Shaun Maloney who is just as good on a free-kick as anyone there is,” said Brown. “We have Steven Fletcher who can score goals, we have Steven Naismith who works hard and creates more than most people in the Premier League and who can score a hat-trick against Chelsea.

“So you can’t tell me that we don’t have good individuals – we have some great individuals but the thing about us is that we have a great core as well. We have a great spirit and we have a great manager.”

Lewandowski clearly still bears a grudge about Gordon Greer’s tackle that kept him quiet when the teams met in Warsaw earlier in the campaign – that game ended in a 2-2 draw – but Brown has insisted that for all the carping about rough tackles, that Poland’s disciplinary record is worse than Scotland’s.

“I think they’ve created more fouls and had more yellow cards than us,” he said. “That speaks for itself. Is it music to our ears to hear them still talking about it? They are just trying to get the referee on their side. They are trying to make it all about Lewandowski but it’s a team game and hopefully our team is better than theirs on the day.

“It was a great tackle by Gordon Greer. It’s just the kind of thing good defenders do. He won the ball and he can’t stop his body following through. It was natural but if there’s a ball there to be won, a 50-50, then I’m sure he would do the same again.”

Brown has also urged his team-mates to make sure they come off the Hampden turf tomorrow night with nothing left to give.

It is nearing the 18-year mark since Scotland were last represented at a major international tournament and having come so close, Brown wants every ounce given for a final, desperate push to make France 2016.

“This is it,” he said. “This is the big push and we need to make sure we give 100 per cent. Every single player in our team, the subs who come on, everyone in the background too. We all need to be at our best.

“We would take the worst performance if it gets us the three points. But if it takes our best performance then we will need to do that. Whatever it takes, we need to do it.

“We want to win. We are at home and we believe we can do it. We’ve gone over there and we have won and drawn so hopefully we can keep that going.

“I don’t know if we need the three points or not but if we get three points it puts us in a good place.

“It has been the whole time since I’ve been a Scotland player and playing qualifiers that we’ve not made any World Cups of European Championships. There’s a lot of weight on our shoulders but over the next few weeks hopefully we can relieve that pressure.”