Scotland buoyed by unification

PHIL SHAW

reports from Glasgow

The fact that England, the Auld Enemy, are hosting next year's European Championship finals has concentrated Scottish minds wonderfully during the quest to qualify from Group Eight. By overcoming Finland tonight, Craig Brown's team would almost certainly have the points as well as the proximity.

Since both the Finns and Greece have still to visit Russia, and with their own last fixture being at home to San Marino, even a draw would probably suffice for Scotland. However, with Hampden Park set to house a rare capacity crowd of 37,000, Brown, the Scotland manager, is anxious to have the issue resolved without any sense of anticlimax.

For once, the withdrawals from his squad can be counted on the fingers of an offensive gesture. As the Scotland captain, Gary McAllister, put it, the players have developed a camaraderie normally associated with a club side.

Team spirit will not, of course, be enough to send Finland homeward to think again. But if Scotland's campaign has not exactly bristled with the heroism of Braveheart - the new tartan epic of which the players were given a special screening last night - it continues to be characterised by their manager's tactical nous and ability to maximise his limited resources.

Tonight that is likely to mean that Alan McLaren, nominally a centre- back, will move into midfield in an attempt to nullify their opponents' one world-class individual, Jari Litmanen of Ajax. "We're not certain whether Litmanen will play there or not," Brown said. "They may push him up front because they're desperate for a goal, but we're prepared for every contingency."

Jim Leighton will retain the goalkeeping jersey ahead of the mentally retuned Andy Goram - "the appropriate choice" according to Brown. He will no doubt be vilified if Leighton costs Scotland the game, although Goram could scarcely have played better than the 37-year-old did to record clean sheets against Russia and Greece.

In attack, Brown is not quite spoilt for choice, particularly with his only powerfully built striker, Duncan Shearer, struggling to shake off a knee injury. Yet he is excited by the form of Scott Booth - four goals in three starts for Aberdeen - and heartened by the gradual return to fitness and form of his one proven international marksman, Ally McCoist.

"The forwards we've got left may not be giants, but McCoist and Booth have both headed goals in this group," Brown said. "Don't forget that Brazil won the World Cup with two wee guys, Romario and Bebeto, playing against big defenders."

Likening Scots to Brazilians is the kind of hostage to misfortune Brown normally avoids. His caution against getting carried away and warnings that the Finns had won five in a row before last month's 6-0 rout by Russia were more typical of his style. Barring a slip on the sort of banana skin the Scots have avoided under his stewardship, Brown should be able to reveal a more relaxed face come 10 o'clock tonight.

One player who does not feature in Brown's future plans is Matthew Le Tissier. Welsh interest in the Southampton enigma has revived speculation about the Channel Islander defecting to the Scots. Brown, who insists on a blood line, points out that Le Tissier does not even have a Scottish great-grandparent.

So while it may yet be Matt Le Taffier, we can rule out Matt McTissier.

SCOTLAND (European Championship Group Eight v Finland, Hampden Park, tonight) Probable team: Leighton (Hibernian); Boyd (Celtic), Hendry (Blackburn) Calderwood (Tottenham); McKimmie (Aberdeen), McLaren (Rangers), McAllister (Leeds), Collins (Celtic), T McKinlay (Celtic); McCoist (Rangers), Booth (Aberdeen).