He went on to allege that the fourth official appeared to have been

He went on to allege that the fourth official appeared to have been stationed by the Scottish dug-out – while ignoring the Croatian one – with the aim of catching Brown or Knox straying out of the technical area. “I think he went in at half-time and said: ‘If either of them step out, do them’.”The sight of Brown shuffling across the running track to the stand like an errant schoolboy was richly ironic; there is probably no more polite, reasonable or articulate manager in football. Even if he is banished to a loftier perch, the likelihood is that he will derive something positive from the experience, as Aston Villa’s John Gregory did last season.Scotland’s resilient display, in which they fell behind to Alen Boksic but levelled swiftly through Kevin Gallacher, drew magnanimous praise from Blazevic and Davor Suker. The West Ham striker, unfit to play, made a pointof going into the visitors’ dressing-room to shake hands with the outstanding Colin Hendry.A haul of seven points from three games is all the more impressive for the fact that in Croatia, as in San Marino, the Scots were severely under-strength. The form of some of the understudies, particularly the dynamic Hearts midfielder Colin Cameron, could give Brown a selection dilemma once some of his first-choices are fit.Scotland have also still to play at home.

Following friendlies against Australia in Glasgow next month and Poland away in February, the anomaly will be remedied in March. Belgium and San Marino both visit within the space of five days – a shrewd piece of scheduling which gives them the opportunity to build a daunting lead at the top.. Ryan Giggs returned from Wales’ World Cup heroics hoping to put the finishing touches to a new contract with Manchester United. But the Cardiff-born winger was probably more satisfied about his nation’s prospects of qualifying for the 2002 finals than with the as-yet unsigned new deal. Ryan Giggs returned from Wales’ World Cup heroics hoping to put the finishing touches to a new contract with Manchester United.

But the Cardiff-born winger was probably more satisfied about his nation’s prospects of qualifying for the 2002 finals than with the as-yet unsigned new deal.
Giggs, arguably Wales’ one player of world-class calibre, showed he was willing to work with the rest of his team-mates to fight the Poles to a standstill in Warsaw on Wednesday.It might only have been a goalless draw at the passionate Legia stadium, but in terms of what it has achieved for morale and confidence, it is one of the most significant results for Wales in years.The point lifted Wales off the bottom of Group Five, above Norway, with Ukraine, Poland and Belarus still to visit Cardiff.Giggs confirmed the mood of new optimism in the Welsh camp, saying: “We now have a five-month lay-off before our next games and when we meet up again there will be no doubt that we will have that team spirit and the belief that we showed against Norway and Poland.”. Howard Wilkinson, the Football Association’s technical director, is heading for a dispute with his employers over the suggestion that his successor as national coach should “seriously” consider writing off qualification for the next World Cup. Howard Wilkinson, the Football Association’s technical director, is heading for a dispute with his employers over the suggestion that his successor as national coach should “seriously” consider writing off qualification for the next World Cup.
The caretaker coach made this startling observation in the wake of England’s disappointing draw in Helsinki on Wednesday night, the second match of an eight-tie qualifying campaign. It left England bottom of Group Nine, five points behind the leaders, Germany.This view runs counter to that of Adam Crozier, the chief executive, who indicated before the match that it was possible and desirable to pursue long-term team development within a short-term qualifying campaign.Yet Wilkinson, when asked if the 2002 finals should be disregarded for the benefit of the national team’s long-term health, said: “That is a possibility which has got to be seriously thought about Yes, it has got to be seriously thought about. Whoever is in charge will have to sit down and ponder on that one.”A former England coach, Glenn Hoddle, concurred with Wilkinson yesterday, suggesting that the next coach be given a six-year contract. “The next man has got to be given that spell of time,” he said.

“The reason for qualifying [for 2002] is to give the young players the experience of playing at that level.”The geography of where the next World Cup is [South Korea and Japan] would give us a very, very hard task to win the competition, so we are playing for the next competition, which is in Europe, and the next tournament after that.”Would Wilkinson be recommending such an approach to the six-man selection panel (including himself) that Crozier has drawn up to advise him on the appointment? “No. It is a decision the next manager has to consider and the technical director [ie. Wilkinson] might want to discuss the idea but, with great respect to my superiors, the chief executive and so on, I don’t think they are the ones to decide football strategy.”However, such a decision would appear to be as much about corporate planning as football strategy with revenues of £50m-plus at risk should England fail to reach the 2002 finals.Given that, Crozier’s view is unsurprising but he also added: “Any manager worth his salt is going to be trying to get there.”Crozier said he did not believe French claims to have sacrificed qualifying for the 1994 World Cup because they were working to a long-term agenda and would “bet my bottom dollar they were still trying to get there”.Besides, despite the despair of the past week and the poverty of England performances, it is premature to write off their hopes. The prospect of automatic qualification may be receding but there remains the play-offs.

This would probably pit them against equally moderate opposition from Europe or possibly against Asia’s fifth-best team, currently the United Arab Emirates, who are ranked 59th but only four places below Finland. England are 15th.The Finns are England’s next qualifying opponents, in the 24 March return at Anfield By then England will have a new manager. Wilkinson’s legacy is a point that would, with better officiating, have been three.England’s play could not have justified such a result but their attitude did. Wilkinson coaxed a committed performance from his mentally battered side. His tactics were less impressive; his considered version of 4-3-3 is complex and difficult to get across in two training sessions, especially when some of the players are ill-equipped for their roles.”I tried to give them a shape and a plan,” Wilkinson said.