Macedonia have laughed off Terry Butcher's claim that striker Goran Pandev goes to ground too easily.

Scotland assistant manager Butcher has waded into the diving debate by urging the referee in tomorrow's World Cup qualifier between the sides to be vigilant of Pandev.

Arriving at Glasgow Airport, Macedonia and Preston full-back Velice Sumulikoski said he was "surprised" by Butcher's comments, insisting team-mate Pandev was no cheat.

"I saw that and was surprised. If you saw our last games, then nothing like that happened," Sumulikoski said.

"I've seen it's about Pandev - but Pandev is a great player and he doesn't go down.

"We were laughing because he doesn't go down.

"In his last game, he had three or four fouls against him, but he didn't go down and the referee didn't give anything."

Sumulikoski said Butcher's comments should give him and his team-mates extra motivation, adding: "Why they spoke in the paper, I don't know.

"I think the referee should be really happy to have this game because we have good players."

Referring to Pandev on Wednesday, Butcher had said: "If a defender gets too close he will hit the floor. But we will leave it to the ref to make his mind up.

"It'd be nice if he was aware of that."