Clarke on Hickey, Brazil and coping with weather delays

[Getty Images]

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has been addressing the media on the eve of the crucial World Cup Group C match against Brazil in Miami.

Here are the key points.

• Clarke confirmed that Aaron Hickey is not fit for the match, but everyone else in the squad is available.

• Asked about the prospect of facing Mexico in Mexico City in the last 32, Clarke said: "First of all we have to get there. I'd love to go back to the Azteca Stadium because played there in the U-19 World Cup way back many, many years ago when I was young, fit, healthy footballer and I managed to score a goal. Scotland beat Mexico 1-0, so if it does happen, we'll have a repeat."

• On what formation he might adopt against Brazil and if it will be a conservative system, he said: "I've got the Scottish media here and they kill me for being too conservative. I think we've shown in my time in charge, whether some people agree or not, that we can be very flexible with our system. For the game tomorrow, we'll have to wait and see because I don't want to tell Carlo [Ancelotti] what we'll do."

• Clarke says Brazil will be true to their attacking DNA and expects them to go far in this World Cup. "I think the characteristics of Brazil as a national team is they have to attack," he said. "These are the characteristics that people expect from a Brazil team. I think they've shown in the matches so far in this tournament that they can be a big threat, and I'm sure they expect to be minimum last four in the competition."

• Facing Brazil in a huge World Cup match represents a proud personal moment for Clarke. "First memories of the World Cup for me were probably the 1970 Brazil team, they were absolutely fantastic," he recalled. "They were great to see for a young boy growing up, and you grow up with that love of Brazil. But tomorrow night, we have to not love Brazil and love Scotland more."

• Asked what he must do to set his team up to be more of an attacking threat than they were against Morocco, Clarke replied: "Pick the right team, get the right tactics, and rely on the players to do that on the pitch. We know what we have to do - don't over-commit going forward, don't leave yourself open to a counter-attack. And when we have the ball, use the it really well and create chances."

• Clarke says his team have measures in place to deal with any weather disruptions to the game, as happened in the France v Iraq match on Monday. "We have a strategy in mind on how to deal with it," he explained. "Obviously, you don't know how long the delay is going to be. They're always doing it off the last lightning strike, you've got to wait 30 minutes off the last lightning strike, so that can just roll on and roll on. If there is to be a delay, then hopefully it will be a short one. We've got a coping strategy and we have an idea of what we'll do if it happens to us"

• World Cup fixtures and group standings
• How to watch the World Cup on the BBC
• Everything you need to know about the World Cup