Head coach Pedro Martinez Losa hit out at a “totally manipulated” and “not acceptable” narrative around his team prior to Scotland’s victory over Slovakia.
The Scotland boss then made his unhappiness clear once more about the media referring to a sequence of eight competitive games without a win.
“Finally we won a competitive game, that’s it isn’t it? That was something very recurring,” Martinez Losa said.
“Not only did we win a competitive game but we had 70% of possession. We’ve conceded one goal in the last four games.
“Even though in friendlies it doesn’t count for some journalists. We are happy with four points – a good route for what we want for qualification.
“We knew the difficulties of Slovakia on the ball especially. I think the team showed a lot of character. I’m proud of my players because they played in a narrative totally manipulated that is not acceptable.”
Much of the build-up to the Slovakia game focused on Scotland’s recent struggles, having been relegated to League B following a winless Nations League campaign that included 4-0 and 6-0 thrashings at the hands of Netherlands and England respectively.
That followed the failure to qualify for the 2023 World Cup after losing 1-0 to the Republic of Ireland in a play-off final at Hampden.
In between those campaigns and since there have been friendly victories, but after the struggle in Serbia the pressure was on Scotland to secure victory at home to Slovakia, who are ranked 25 places below them.
Martinez Losa launched a defence of himself and the players, adding the squad could “feel the negativity” from outside the camp.
“You can feel how the players feel no good. I think we need to be all on the same page. You can see how the players gave everything on the pitch, the level of training has been outstanding.
“We have seven players who could be in the line-up not here. And even then we are giving a team with character, the consistency not to concede goals.
“There are not many teams in League A and League B who are not conceding goals in two games. So I’m very pleased.
“To tell the people that not winning a competitive game since Ireland and to describe that as a narrative when we have won nine games since that day.
“So since the Ireland game we have won nine games and lost five. And five against the number two in the world and against the number seven in the world, and Ireland which was fairly matched.
“We played really well in the first half and could have scored more.”