O'Connor chases Scotland home glory

Garry O'Connor believes home victories over Lithuania, Georgia and World Cup winners Italy will be enough to take Scotland to Euro 2008.

The Lokomotiv Moscow striker scored as Scotland scrambled a vital 2-0 victory in the Faroe Islands that leaves Alex McLeish's side in third in their qualifying group, Group B, behind France and Italy who both also recorded wins on Wednesday.

O'Connor said: "If we win our home games, I think we're going to go through. If we can take some points away, I think we've a great chance."

O'Connor thought he was "finished" in the international game when he was ostracised for failing to join up with his Scotland team-mates for their flight to Ukraine last October.

That no-show kept him out of the frame for a short while, but O'Connor has returned with two goals in two games and has paid tribute to the management team of McLeish, Andy Watson and Roy Aitken for handing him a second chance.

O'Connor told BBC Radio Scotland: "I thought my career was finished with the national team, so all luck to Alex, Andy and Roy and hopefully I'm repaying them with what I'm doing on the field."

He added: "Alex has brought me back in and I'm delighted with that decision, and as I've scored a couple of goals I've got to give them to the fans.

"I've been silly at times of my career but I'm a professional player now, I realise that, and I've got to be positive, and I've just got to look forward to the future and hopefully things can be better for me."