Miller: Vogts close to 'abyss'

Willie Miller believes defeat to Slovenia tonight would edge Scotland manager Berti Vogts “towards the abyss”.

The former Aberdeen captain does not think Vogts should be sacked if his side lose at Hampden, but the pressure is on the German to make sure the World Cup qualification campaign gets off to a winning start.

Miller, back at Pittodrie as director of football, has been a big critic of Vogts as results have lurched from the impressive to the appalling.

Victory over Holland in their Euro 2004 play-off was followed by a six-goal thrashing by the same opponents.

And a 3-0 friendly loss against Hungary last month bore little resemblance to last week’s performance away to Spain, when floodlights failed just before the hour mark in the friendly, with the scores level at 1-1.

Former Scotland international Miller said: “I cannot understand how sometimes the team pattern is working and we are doing all right and the next time we are sitting wondering ‘what’s happening here?’.

“I don’t wish to sound as if I’m blaming Berti Vogts for our woes and I seriously hope the manager can do it, but he needs to have the correct balance of discipline and organisation - starting with our first qualifying game. He has failed to convince me and many others that the future is bright. That is his biggest challenge.

“I’m in the camp where I believe Berti’s job is not in jeopardy should we lose – although I do think he is edging closer to the abyss.

“If we lose to Slovenia and then Norway, we are pretty much out of the running in terms of qualification after just two games, leaving the powers that be at the SFA with a major decision to make regarding the manager.

“Berti Vogts may not be drinking in the last-chance saloon, but he is next door.”

The Scots have a key double header next month, with Norway coming to Hampden Park on October 9 before the trip to take on Moldova four days later.