Allan McGregor believes Scotland must keep faith with their international manager, Craig Levein, regardless of the outcome of the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.
The Scots remain in with a chance of a play-off place from Group I after Tuesday night's 1-0 win against Lithuania. After that game a tetchy Levein criticised a media "furore" over his record and claimed people were trying to "railroad" his plans.
"I think there is progress," the goalkeeper McGregor said of Levein's tenure. "Some of the boys were talking about it, saying it's not been a good start statistically. But if you put in the friendlies it would be. People count friendly matches when they want to.
"I think it's very important to keep him. He has been different class with the boys, he's very thorough with what he does on the opposition, he has all angles covered. He's a really, really good manager to have."
McGregor defended bitter Scottish complaints of the dive by Jan Rezek that afforded the Czech Republic a penalty and a potentially crucial point in the last minute of the game between the nations at Hampden on Saturday. The Scottish Football Association has written to Uefa to seek a ban for Rezek.
"I think I saw headlines about 'Stop moaning and get on with it' but it's hard to take," McGregor said. "This was a qualifier for the European Championships and it was a horrific decision. I don't think you can say 'Stop whingeing' because, if it happened to anyone else, it would be the same.
"Obviously before that we had three or four chances to stop that situation happening, which we've gone over. We could have done better. But it was just a horrible decision."
The Rangers goalkeeper believes Scotland can take what opportunity is available to pip the Czechs to a play-off berth. For that to happen, the Scots will most likely have to win in Liechtenstein next month and take something from a visit to the world champions, Spain.
"I think we're still in with a chance," he said. "Obviously we have given ourselves a mountain to climb and we need results to go our way but we're definitely not going to give up on it.
"If it does come down to going to Spain and we need to get something, then all the boys will do their damnedest to do that."
Craig Gordon's injury problems mean Levein now regards McGregor as his first-choice goalkeeper. It is not, however, something the man himself counts on. "I don't think you can ever be secure, especially at international level and especially with what Craig has done," McGregor said. "I only got in because he was injured. His mind-set is to get back fit and that he's the No1. That's fine, that's strong mentally.
"The way I see it, I would never say I'm No1 but that's just me. Different people see things differently."
