Italian Job Is All I Can Think About ; Hartley Finding It Difficult to Shut Out Thoughts of All-or-Nothing

Summary

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PAUL HARTLEY is in the midst of the most hectic and heady spell of his career, yet one forthcoming fixture towers higher than everything else. Scotland against Italy at Hampden is shaping up as the mother of all qualifying matches and, although the game doesn't take place for another three weeks, the Celtic midfielder is already getting excited.

All Scotsmen cursed a European Championship draw which included not only the world champions, but the giants of France and Ukraine, too. Yet the nation's dreams of qualifying from the group of death are very much alive with just 90 minutes to play.

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Italian Job Is All I Can Think About ; Hartley Finding It Difficult to Shut Out Thoughts of All-or-Nothing

November 17 is the date scribbled in indelible ink for the big showdown and, although domestic chores and Champions League tussles have been tackled with equal relish by the 30-year-old, he admits the next few weeks will be about securing a jersey in Alex McLeish's starting XI.

'It's hard to imagine ...

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