Gordon Strachan has played down Croatia boss Igor Stimac’s apparently relaxed attitude to his side’s final 2014 World Cup qualifier against Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday night.

The Scots have no chance of reaching the finals in Brazil next summer while Croatia will go into the play-offs next month after losing to Group A winners Belgium on Friday.

After arriving in Glasgow on Monday Stimac was quoted as saying the game would be a “kind of a training session” for his side, to which Scots boss Strachan said: “He can have any comments he wants. I like Igor, a nice fella.

“I spent time with him in Poland (during Euro 2012). I’ve known him since he was at Derby.

“It depends if he said training or experimenting. Experiment is completely different from training.

“I look forward to seeing him. He is a good man, he organises his team well and we wish him all the best in the play-offs.”

Scotland head into the match on the back of a 2-1 away victory over Macedonia and can also take confidence from the impressive 1-0 victory they achieved over Croatia in Zagreb in June.

Strachan’s overall focus is to rebuild ahead of the qualifying campaign for Euro 2016.

Yet he would not want his side to finish bottom of their group — an outcome that could become a reality if Scotland lose on Tuesday and Macedonia win in Serbia.

The Scotland manager has called up Motherwell defender Steven Hammell as cover for Rangers left-back Lee Wallace, who has a knee injury.

Celtic’s Charlie Mulgrew could also feature, having missed the win in Zagreb.