The Scottish Football Blog: Scotland In 1986: Another hard luck tale The Scottish Football Blog Wednesday, June 09, 2010 Scotland In 1986: Another hard luck tale Scotland's trip to Mexico in 1986 would be their fourth World Cup in a row. We might have been hopeless when we got to the finals but we were proving astonishingly consistent at qualifying. Our route to the 1986 World Cup was, as we all know, steeped in tragedy. Jock Stein's death on a tense night in Wales as Scotland clinched a play off place cast a long shadow over the whole 1986 campaign. It fell to Alex Ferguson, still at Aberdeen and Stein's part time assistant, to take the reins and negotiate the double header against Australia. A 2-0 win at Hampden put Scotland firmly in control of the fixture as they prepared to travel to Melbourne.

A 0-0 draw got the job done but, as if to prove that Scotland players could still mix it with the best of them went it came to extra-curricular antics, a couple of incidents involving booze, birds, Maurice Johnston and - inevitably - Frank McAvennie left Ferguson mulling over the possibility of leaving Johnston out of his final squad. As part of his preparation Ferguson travelled to Ipswich and sought Alf Ramsey's advice. Sir Alf was only too happy to oblige, although Ferguson was incredulous that no England manager had ever approached Ramsey as part of their big tournament build up. Ferguson's most controversial decision was to leave Alan Hansen out of his squad. A number of late withdrawals had left both Stein and Ferguson concerned about the centre half's commitment. He also lost Kenny Dalglish, a massive blow, blamed at the time on Hansen's omission although Dalglish has always insisted that his knee was just not up to another summer of football. Squad selected, preparations made. Scotland were off to Mexico. Lying in wait were Denmark, West Germany and Uruguay. Displaying our usual knack of finding ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time we had somehow pitched up in the tournament's group of death. Lucky us.

We would emerge without a win to our name, cursing our luck and somewhat battered. Yet again we were going home on the first plane. Before the tournament we might well have considered Denmark to be rivals for second place behind West Germany. The Danes didn't exactly follow that script. In an even first match Denmark beat us 1-0, although a Roy Aitken goal that looked legitimate was disallowed. In the next match Gordon Strachan put us ahead against West Germany in the first half. Unable to hold out, Scotland went in all square at half time before a Rudi Voller goal early in the second half put the Germans ahead. There was much huff and no little puff as Scotland chased the game. As so often in the past those efforts came to nothing. At times it seems that Scotland team was created to tantalise the support with the the promise that greatness is always just one step away. Amazingly we went into the Uruguay game with qualification still a realistic possibility. We had to win to progress, Uruguay needed only a draw. It might have been realistic to assume that an astonishing 6-1 defeat to Denmark might have knocked their confidence.

Needing only a draw, however, they were always going to be happy suck Scotland into a war of attrition. Even accepting that as a legitmate tactic does not mean there is any need to condone the brutality with which they set about the task. In the first minute of the game Jose Batista was ordered off for an X-rated version of one of Ron Atkinson's early doors reducers, a cynical and blatant attempt to nobble Gordon Strachan. The tone was set. Against a team displaying football's uglier side, Scotland were without answers. Yes, Uruguay were brutal and hard but Scotland were ineffectual in the face of it. They had come to defend deep but Scotland were unable to exert the pressure that would have made them doubt the wisdom of their tactics. In the face of a cynical Uruguayan roar, Scotland meekly surrendered with a whimper. A win would have sent Scotland through in third place behind West Germany and surprise group winners Denmark. Instead we finished bottom with two defeats and a draw. Again there were plenty of excuses. Stein's death left Ferguson with a job he didn't want and, by his own admission, wasn't ready for. We missed the aura of Dalglish.

Graeme Souness, perhaps not fully fit, struggled in the altitude and heat. Roy Aitken's goal against Denmark should have counted. Uruguay were little more than cheats. But. In six trips to the World Cup we'd won only three games. In Mexico we could only score one goal. Again players who should have done better failed to perform. Maybe by raging against the unfairness of it all we missed the point: our players lacked something - skill, nerve, fight? - on the biggest stage. For Scotland just qualifying had become more than half the battle. At least, for now, we looked not too shabby at that. Rewind to 1986: Alex Ferguson's Scotland savaged by Uruguay - ESPN FC ESPN FC Live football odds with bet365. Bet Now » Real Sociedad Live football odds with bet365. Bet Now » AS Roma Live football odds with bet365. Bet Now » Melbourne City FC Live football odds with bet365. Bet Now » Algeria Live football odds with bet365.

Bet Now » Senegal less than a minute ago Michael Wade Jun 13, 2013 Scotland savaged by La Celeste On June 13, 1986, Scotland came up against Uruguay in their final group game of the World Cup. The Scots - led by Alex Ferguson following the shock death of Jock Stein - were without a point from their two games, while Uruguay had taken just one. The match represented one last chance to make it into the knockout rounds and provide Stein with a fitting tribute, but what followed was one of the most bitter experiences of Ferguson's career. "This is the most important match of my life," Alex Ferguson said as his Scotland side prepared for their do-or-die clash with Uruguay in Mexico. "I managed only an hour's sleep because it was so important for me to pick the right team." Ferguson had felt the pressure as he stepped onto world football's biggest stage. He had risen to prominence through his management of Aberdeen, breaking the Old Firm's dominance at domestic level and winning the 1983 Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Super Cup, and had found himself acting as assistant to the legendary Celtic boss Jock Stein as Scotland sought qualification for the 1986 World Cup.

However, on September 10, 1985, shortly after the end of Scotland's tense final qualifier against Wales, in which a 1-1 draw set up a play-off match with Australia, Stein suffered a heart attack and died. Ferguson, who had been sitting beside him when he collapsed, was understandably shaken to lose his friend and mentor at the age of only 62. "It was as if the king had died," he wrote in his autobiography, Managing My Life. "In football terms, the king had died." Ferguson had no designs on the Scotland job - "I would have happily remained big Jock's assistant for the rest of my days," he said - but stressed he was "delighted and honoured" to be offered the chance to lead his country. He opted to remain in charge at Aberdeen while agreeing to become caretaker manager of the national team and seeing out his "obligation to Jock's memory". On that front, his first priority was to defeat Australia and finish the job of qualifying the nation for the World Cup finals. Scotland achieved a 2-0 aggregate win. Ferguson was predictably hungry to succeed in Mexico.

Scotland had made first-round exits at each of their previous five World Cups, but he felt this side could go further. He was confident enough in his options to leave out Liverpool defender Alan Hansen - as Stein had always planned - but had lost his Reds team-mate, Kenny Dalglish, to injury. "Everything was to be built around Kenny," Ferguson said after the forward's late withdrawal. "He was our lynchpin." Even so, he believed he could navigate his way through to the knockout stage in a group also featuring Denmark, West Germany and Uruguay. "I simply believe we have enough good players to see us through, while our mood is the best in the group," he said. Their hopes quickly receded. In the opening game, they went down to a hard-fought 1-0 defeat to Denmark. In the next, Gordon Strachan opened the scoring against West Germany, but Rudi Voller and Klaus Allofs hit back in the 23rd and 49th minutes to condemn the Scots to a second defeat. Their hopes were not dead: with teams finishing third in their group still capable of qualifying for the knockout phase, Scotland remained in contention.

Uruguay had drawn with West Germany in their opening game before being routed 6-1 by Denmark in their second, and Ferguson still believed his team could beat the South Americans and progress, although he was uncertain as to what he could expect from the final clash. "We don't know what the attitude of the Uruguayans will be after their hammering," he said. Uruguay's response, it transpired, was to intensify the overt aggression that had already blackened their reputation during their brief stay in Mexico. After only 56 seconds, Jose Batista was sent off for a shocking challenge on Gordon Strachan, setting a new World Cup record. The stretchers were called, but Strachan was able to play on, although the severity of the midfielder's treatment barely abated as the match wore on. He was unable to exert his creative influence, and was not alone. The Uruguay players, who harangued referee Joel Quiniou and demanded cards be shown to the Scotland players, regularly hacked at their opponents, and were seen throwing elbows on more than one occasion.

They also brought a delay to the second half of the match as they kept their opponents waiting, while the closing moments of the encounter were marked by flagrant displays of time-wasting. In the end, though, for all the distractions, Scotland were condemned by their inability to find an answer to a determined rearguard, and the skilled duo of Enzo Francescoli and Venancio Ramos - the former in particular - highlighted a finesse lacking in Ferguson's team. Scotland's failure to break the deadlock had seen ten-man Uruguay through at their expense. Ferguson would take the blame in sections of the Scottish press for his decision to leave out the combative Graeme Souness, who at 33 had been struggling with the Mexican heat at the start of the tournament; others merely suggested his team were simply not good enough. Nonetheless, they had maintained their composure during the match, refusing to respond to the violent tactics in kind, and at the final whistle shook hands with their opponents, with Ferguson mindful of Stein's words during that fateful qualification match in Wales. "One of the last things Jock said to me was that we should always play with dignity," Ferguson recalled as he prepared to board the flight home.

"I believe we've done that despite the severest of provocations." However, that emphasis on making a dignified exit had been temporarily relaxed at the post-match press conference. In his own media briefing, Uruguay boss Omar Borras had described the referee as a "murderer" for having dismissed Batista so early in the match and said his team were the victims of "propaganda". He added: "We got a slap in the face in the very first seconds, and this affected our mental condition, yet we did try to win in spite of everything, and I think we could have won." The Scotland camp was unwilling to engage with such arguments. Scottish FA secretary Ernie Walker said they had come up against "cheats and cowards" and had found themselves "associated with the scum of world football". Ferguson, meanwhile, launched into a long rant in response to the opening question from the media pack. "I'm sitting here and I'm saying to myself: 'What the hell is going on?' Look at this here. It's a shambles, a complete shambles," he said. "I mean, it's not just a part of football - it's the whole bloody attitude of the nation.

You can see that attitude there. The whole thing. They have no respect for other people's dignity. "I think what happened today, after the traumas that have happened to world football in the last year, the debacle out there today - I tell you, I'm glad to go home, believe me, because it's no part of football as we have been accepting it for years and years. "For Borras to try to defend his team today, he doesn't have the talent that great men have, the ability to look at themselves. He's sitting there lying and cheating. He mutters a lot of rubbish about his country here. It's a disgrace what they did. Their behaviour turns the game into a complete farce. As far as Scotland's concerned, it's all right to say you're playing ten men - as far as Uruguay is concerned, they're used to that. "It's a difficult situation playing against ten men. Our players were completely upset, and I have great sympathy for them. It's a tragic day for them. I would not criticise one of them, but there you are: we're out of the World Cup.

I can't even say good luck to Uruguay because I don't think they deserve it." Uruguay would go on to face Argentina in the second round, and Ferguson was bowing out of international football with a pronounced sense of disgust. "You would never think in a competition such as the World Cup, with all that talk of a FIFA clampdown, that one team would be able to overpower the whole system, but that's what Uruguay have done," he said. "It's not my problem any longer. It's FIFA's problem. It will be Argentina's problem Monday." What happened next? Uruguay were fined £9,000 by FIFA for their behaviour in the games against West Germany and Scotland and warned that a repeat would lead to their expulsion from the tournament. However, their expulsion came courtesy of a 1-0 defeat to Argentina in a second-round match that, while bad-tempered, did not overstep the mark as the Scotland match had. Ferguson, meanwhile, left his role with the national team, and in November that year also left Aberdeen as he made his way south of the border for the first time to lead Manchester United.

Scottish Football Association Alex Ferguson (01-Oct-85 - 30-Jun-86) Alex Ferguson was manager of Scotland between September 1985 and June 1986, appointed as caretaker after the tragic death of Jock Stein. During his tenure as Scotland boss he led the team at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, however he remained m ... More... Scotland & Mexico World Cup 1986 | Scotzine You are at: Home » Scottish Football » Scotland »Scotland & Mexico World Cup 1986 Scotland & Mexico World Cup 1986 Scotland , World Cup Scotland’s road to Mexico ’86 was two years and nearly 30,000 miles long, a journey beset by club v country spats, bureaucratic cock-ups, birds n booze controversies and – putting all that into perspective – tragedy. National team boss Jock Stein’s decision to bring Davie Cooper into the fray in place of Gordon Strachan as the Scots chased an equaliser in the vital World Cup qualifier in Wales the previous September proved to be the last of his life.

The Rangers winger subsequently levelled from the penalty spot but events on the park were forgotten when Stein collapsed on the trackside shortly before the end of the game and was rushed inside the stadium for emergency treatment. Despite the best efforts of the Ninian Park medical staff, the man many considered to be the greatest ever Scottish manager succumbed to heart failure and died at the age of 62. Embed from Getty Images The draw in Cardiff had been enough to see Scotland pip Wales to a two-legged play-off against Australia. Stein’s assistant was Alex Ferguson and the Aberdeen boss, though utterly distraught at the loss of his friend and mentor, agreed to take the manager’s job on a temporary basis. The pool of players that Stein and then Ferguson could draw upon as their UEFA Qualifying Group 7 campaign began in October 1984 was far from shabby. Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen and Graeme Souness had started for Liverpool when they beat Roma to lift their fourth European Cup months earlier while a further two Scots had been in the matchday squad.

Dundee United – narrowly beaten by Roma in the controversial semi-final of that competition – and Aberdeen, who had won the previous year’s Cup-Winners Cup, provided Scotland with the backbone of a squad used to pitting their wits against Europe’s best. The national team was bolstered further by players from top clubs at home and abroad and, having qualified for the past three World Cups, hopes were high that Scotland could not only make it four in a row but also progress beyond the group stages for the first time. Scotland came flying out of the blocks and followed up an opening day win over Iceland with a sensational 3-1 victory over the much-fancied Spanish at Hampden thanks to a goal from Dalglish and a double from Celtic’s Mo Johnston. In true Scottish style, however, the euphoria of the Spain win was followed up by a loss in the return leg in Seville and defeat at home to Wales, who most people thought Scotland would be fighting it out with for second-place and the inter-continental play-off. A second win over Iceland set up the fateful clash in Cardiff but deeper problems within the squad were starting to become apparent.

Top clubs, already facing punishing domestic and European schedules, made little attempt to hide their displeasure at having to release their star players for international duty. A string of call-offs followed the announcement of each squad and served to frustrate the Scottish management team, media and fans, with the commitment of Liverpool captain Alan Hansen in particular, being called into question. Embed from Getty Images Then there was the issue of Hansen’s long-time teammate and the man many believed to be the finest player Scotland had ever produced. Now player-manager of the Anfield side, it was clear that Dalglish’s glittering on-field career was winding down. He was selecting other, younger players ahead of himself for Liverpool and even though he was on course to became the first Scotsman to win 100 caps for his country, his appearances for the national were become more infrequent as well. Speculation was rife that he would turn down the opportunity to become the first player from the home nations to play in four World Cup finals if Scotland qualified.

After a fine season, Mo Johnston was one of the men in line to fill Dalglish’s golden boots but the Celtic striker blotted his copybook during the build-up to the home leg against Australia in November 1985. Johnston was blamed for a late-night incident at the side’s hotel involving alcohol, girls and – almost inevitably – Frank McAvenie that left the notorious disciplinarian Ferguson irate. The Celtic striker was dropped for the game and never played for Scotland under Fergie again. The passing of ‘Big Jock’ had cast a long shadow over Scottish football but Ferguson managed to galvanise the national side and emerge triumphant for the play-off with Australia, although the 2-0 aggregate victory was to have consequences for the domestic season and Scotland’s World Cup preparations. The logistics of getting the Scottish squad to and from Australia for the second-leg resulted in two weeks when the Premier League fixture list was almost entirely depleted, just as surprise league challengers Hearts were hitting their stride. Despite the exceptional run they embarked upon, the Tynecastle squad remained untroubled by international recognition.

As such, they were the only team not left with a build-up of fixtures and main challengers Celtic were still desperately trying to resolve their backlog as the last days of the season approached. The final midweek of the season was the last available date for Celtic’s oft-postponed clash with Motherwell to be played. The Scottish Football League were determined that under no circumstances would any fixtures be played beyond the designated final day of the league season but this meant a clash with Scotland’s World Cup warm-up match against Holland in Eindhoven. Motherwell were also insistent that the game be played before the Dundee-Hearts encounter at the weekend as Celtic remaining in contention would ensure a bumper gate at Fir Park. The result was an unseemly spat that led Celtic supporters, not for the first or last time, to claim the authorities were determined to do everything in their power to undermine the Parkhead side’s on-field endeavours. The club reacted to the selection of Paul McStay, Roy Aitken and Murdo MacLeod by refusing to release three of their biggest stars for the Netherlands game.

The situation descended into farce when the SFL suggested the Celtic trio be allowed to fly back from Holland early after the game to enable them to play in the Motherwell match, which would be moved from the Wednesday to Thursday evening. Celtic were not of a mind to force their best players to play four games in a week and gave the proposal the short shrift. As the SFA and league continued to make conflicting public statements, the national team boss expressed sympathy for Celtic before adding, “The Dutch will be wondering what kind of country we are but we will just need to bite the bullet and get on with it.” In the immediate aftermath of the Eindhoven friendly (a 0-0 draw), Ferguson made it clear that he had no interest in becoming national boss on a permanent, full-time basis. While the scale of the Aberdeen manager’s ambitions in club football were well known, the bureaucracy and politics he was forced to deal with could hardly have endeared him to the role either. Warm-up matches and domestic season completed, the nation turned its attention to Scotland’s meeting with the original group of death.

Lying in wait were Denmark, making their World Cup debut but European Championship semi-finalists two years earlier, and Uruguay and West Germany, who between them had won a third of all the World Cups staged to that point. Despite Ferguson’s travails and the scale of the task awaiting them, there was optimism surrounding Scotland. This, after all, was a group talented enough for the doubts over Hansen’s commitment to see one of the best defenders in the world omitted and for the up-and-coming Johnston to be ruled out following a fairly minor disciplinary matter. Scotland’s squad for Mexico consisted of only three Old Firm players – Roy Aitken and Paul McStay of Celtic and Rangers’ Davie Cooper. Graeme Souness – recently unveiled as Rangers’ new manager – was still listed as a Sampdoria player while Steve Archibald was plying his trade with Spanish giants Barcelona. No less than seven turned out for top-flight English clubs. Five Dundee United players meant they were the most represented club in the squad. Four Dons and Hibee Alan Rough made up the rest of Scotland’s World Cup complement. The nation’s most decorated player was not on the plane, however.

Kenny Dalglish was originally named in the 22-man squad but quickly withdrew, a decision that many attributed to Hansen’s omission although Dalglish has always insisted that his knee was simply not up to another summer of football. His best days may have been behind him but the loss of ‘King Kenny’ was a massive blow all the same. Scotland kicked-off their campaign against Denmark. Things did not go to plan. A legitimate-looking Roy Aitken goal was disallowed but the Danes were deserved winners and the single-goal margin of victory could have been greater as their free-flowing football began seducing fans around the world. By the time the Scots’ second group game against West Germany came around, the world was well acquainted with the Mexican Wave and the de rigour leaping over advertising boards to celebrate a goal. Gordon Strachan was to provide one of the iconic images of Mexico ’86 when he ran towards the hoardings after putting his side ahead in the first-half only to realise he too short to hurdle them. The Manchester United midfielder had to settle for resting his leg on top of the board instead. West Germany drew level before the break and a Rudi Voller goal early in the second half put them ahead.

Scotland threw everything at the Germans in an attempt to grab an equaliser but their efforts were fairly easily repelled. Played two, lost two. And yet, qualification remained a distinct possibility if the Scots could beat a Uruguay team that had just been thrashed 6-1 by the swashbuckling Danes. The cause was not helped by disharmony behind the scenes. Frank McAvennie had finished the 85/86 season as second-top scorer in the English league with 29 goals to his name and had been widely tipped to lead the line in Scotland’s group games. Instead he found himself on the bench for the Denmark and West German matches and made his dissatisfaction plain to his manager. “I got 10 minutes against the Germans and the same length of time in the previous match against the Danes,” he said. “I was too disappointed to enjoy the rest of the tournament.” The striker’s mood dropped further when he and Scotland captain Graeme Souness were left out for the last, all-or-nothing game against Uruguay. “The two of us were sharing a room in the worst hotel in the world,” McAvennie recalled.

“The Scotland squad and official SFA party were the only guests and there was nothing to do while we were stuck in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by armed guards in case we staged a breakout. I remember Souey saying to me in the room one night that he had a suspicion Fergie would leave him out of one game altogether. “I know why I got the heave from the team and the bench. I’d questioned the manager’s judgment and paid the price by being dropped. If there was one match where you wanted Souey in the trenches beside you it was against them. Souey was the only superstar we had.” Embed from Getty Images Souness’s ageing legs may have been struggling in the blistering Mexican heat and his form in the tournament thus far had been poor but there could be little doubt that his aggression and physicality could have been utilised against a team the mild-mannered SFA chief Ernie Walker would afterwards describe as ‘scum’. Uruguay were down to 10 men after a minute following an X-rated tackle on Strachan by Jose Batista.

Despite their numerical advantage, Scotland failed to unlock the Uruguayan defence as the South Americans took cynicism to a new level in a shocking display of footballing brutality. Late, high and dangerous tackles continued to fly in. Hair and the more personal parts of the Scots’ anatomies were pulled. Eyes were gouged. Spit flew. Injuries were faked. Time was wasted. The referee was harangued. It would be inconceivable now for them to go about their business without having their numbers further reduced but, sticking by the standards of the day, French referee Joel Quiniou was unlikely to show another red card after handing one out so early. Obviously intimidated he effectively handed the Uruguayans impunity. Uruguay were fined 25,000 Swiss Francs for their misdemeanours and threatened with expulsion from the tournament while manager Omar Borras was banished to the stands for the following game. That was of no consolation to Scotland, however, and the Tartan Army were flying home without a victory and only a single goal to show for their efforts. The Scots undoubtedly endured more than their share of bad luck but there was severe disappointment that a better fight had not been fought.

This was, after all, a strong squad, something that McAvennie acknowledged. “One goal in three games told its own story and that’s why the memory of 1986 will always be tinged with sadness for me,” he said. “But at least we had a squad in those days where there was quality in depth to the extent that you could have an argument over team selection.” Veteran football writer Ron Scott agrees that the talent at Scotland disposal made the hurt of once again failing to break out of the group stages the more acute. He also looks back on a national team was on the verge of depletion. “The Scots who played for Liverpool were the last world-class players Scotland produced,” he said. “Hansen wasn’t picked for Mexico and Souness retired from international football after the World Cup. Dalglish missed Mexico through injury although he did play another couple of matches but that was the end of an era as well.” With another summer without Scottish participation in a major international championship upon us and today’s squad is more likely to be feature players from the English third-tier than Serie A and La Liga, the days of underperforming on the big stage seem a halcyon era.

Grant Hill is the author of ‘AK 86: Two Shots In The Heart of Scottish Football’, which will be published in paperback format next month. Signed copies, costing £7.99, can be pre-ordered from Wholepoint Publications at The original World Cup Group of Death in Mexico lacked for nothing in 1986 - Telegraph The original World Cup Group of Death in Mexico lacked for nothing in 1986 Remembering Mexico '86 and Group E – the Group of Death 'tournament within a tournament' Deadly group: Alex Ferguson speaks to the press after Scotland's 0-0 draw against Uruguay Photo: REX By Mike Gibbons 1:32PM BST 24 Jun 2014 Sometimes a picture only needs to speak three words. When the TV cameras cut to FA Chairman Greg Dyke drawing his finger across his throat in Costa do Sauipe, Brazil in December, the inference was clear. England had just been drawn against Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica in the World Cup and there is a name for groups like that. Now after two games, England know all about the unique peril of being in a Group of Death. It has become a cliché to say that every World Cup has one.

Every World Cup claims to have one, but the modern system of seedings based on geographical restrictions and the spurious Fifa world rankings mean the label is largely divorced from reality. It originated among local journalists at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico for the group containing Brazil, England, Romania and Czechoslovakia. Its popularisation however started in 1986, at the second Mexico World Cup. Group E clubbed together West Germany, Uruguay, Scotland and Denmark, a group to be contested in the high altitude and searing heat of Queretaro and Nezahualcóyotl. The Uruguayan coach Omar Borras came out and called it precisely what it was – El grupo de le muerte, the Group of Death. This time the phrase went global, and has remained in the lexicon of football ever since. Unlike later editions of the World Cup, in 1986 you could believe the hype. The group was beautifully balanced, a perfect storm of talent, history and momentum. Scotland looked to have an uphill task in the group but were a serious proposition for their opponents.

The New Firm of Aberdeen and Dundee United had taken their domestic game to its competitive high watermark and the squad was also loaded with players regularly landing English and European trophies. Alex Ferguson, who had taken over after the death of Jock Stein in the aftermath of the final qualifier against Wales, had brought what Graeme Souness called ‘the best prepared Scottish squad there has ever been’ to Mexico. Related Articles Come on, England, don’t force us to reach for the pzzzzzt! 22 Jun 2014 Denmark were making their World Cup debut and had under the expert guidance of Sepp Piontek emerged from decades in the international wilderness. They had fired a warning shot with an agonising near miss at the 1984 European Championship but their status as newcomers meant they had been in the lowest seeding group alongside Canada, Iraq and others. They were guaranteed a tough draw, but they were also the loose cannon that no one wanted to be in the firing line of. Between them Uruguay and West Germany had won a third of all the World Cups staged to that point.

West Germany were in a state of transition with Franz Beckenbauer in charge of trying to put the wheels back on, taking over after a rare failure at the 1984 European Championship. When recalling years later the names of his players in his 1986 squad Beckenbauer broke down laughing. Nevertheless, this was a tournament and they were West Germany. Uruguay entered the tournament as South American champions. After a 12 year hiatus they returned to the World Cup as one of the hot favourites along with Brazil and Argentina, and were a potent force again. Force would be an integral part of their game plan, as a gifted generation of players lost the plot for a month and marked their stay in Mexico with red mist and red cards. The warning signs were there after the opening game of the group, Uruguay versus West Germany in Queretaro. A sloppy back pass from Lothar Matthäus released Antonio Alzamendi on the German goal, where he rounded goalkeeper Harald Schumacher and clubbed his shot in off the crossbar after only four minutes. Uruguay remained occasionally incisive in attack, but defended their advantage with a systematic and cynical series of body checks, fouls and outright assaults.

Surprisingly only two Uruguayan players were booked, and the famous West German resilience came to the fore when Klaus Allofs smuggled in the equaliser six minutes from the end. The Uruguayan defender Victor Diogo, who could have had a straight red card for a thundering foul on Thomas Berthold, said of it afterwards: "I will do it again. I’ve come to Mexico to win the World Cup. And I will do everything for my country." Many a player has expressed the desire to do literally anything to win a game of football, but few have been as committed to that premise as the Uruguayans in 1986. After the match Fifa dispatched a letter to the Uruguayan FA to warn them about their conduct; the letter was treated as seriously as junk mail. Later that day in Nezahualcóyotl, Denmark and Scotland played out the last match of the opening phase of group games. By common consensus, it was the best of what had been seen in Mexico to that point.

‘My advice to youngsters who love the game and want to be strikers who storm the opposing goal would be to go to Denmark or Scotland,’ cooed no less a cerebral figure than Cesar Luis Menotti afterwards. The game itself was settled by a solitary strike from Preben Elkjær, the enigmatic and brilliant Danish forward playing with Verona in Serie A. Sizing up his marker Willie Miller, he simply ran through him and accelerated into the area to clip a low, left-footed shot past Jim Leighton to win the game. Elkjær and the Danes would seduce the watching world in the opening weeks of Mexico 86. Everything about them was refreshing and life affirming – their dazzling football, happy disposition, their eccentric manager and that striking Hummel kit. There was steel behind all the smiles though; as Charlie Nicholas threatened to get away from him and advance to goal in the second half, the midfielder Klaus Berggreen hacked him down with a brutal foul that saw Nicholas carried from the field. "I did it for Denmark," Berggreen recalled years later. The Uruguayans weren’t the only patriots prepared to take a walk on the dark side in the Group of Death.

The defeat put Scotland on the back foot as they prepared to face West Germany. Unknown to the Scots, Beckenbauer had decided to get the inside track on their preparations. The Scottish training camp was closed off, but Beckenbauer’s assistant Berti Vogts found a worker from a drinks company sponsoring the World Cup and obtained his uniform in exchange for a replica West Germany shirt. He later confessed this rouse to Craig Brown, his opposite number in the Scotland camp. "He had the white apron on, and went in with a hat," recalls Brown. "He pretended he was setting up his stall, and all the time he was watching Scotland training." Whatever Vogts reported back it was of little use initially, as Scotland took the lead after a deflected strike from the busy Gordon Strachan flew past Schumacher. ‘When I was walking back to the halfway line,’ Strachan remembered in a television interview, ‘I was thinking, “My dad will be jumping about the golf club now with his mates. He’ll be steaming before the night’s out!”’ Strachan sadly couldn’t start the jumping in Queretaro.

When he arrived at the advertising hoardings he wanted to hurdle them as other goal scorers had in the tournament, but quickly realised he was too short to do so. Scotland played well, but inevitably West Germany came from behind to salvage the situation again. Allofs and Rudi Völler were a constant menace an each set up a goal for the other to win the match 2-1, not that this impressed Beckenbauer. ‘We won and that’s about the best thing I can say about the game’ he said afterwards. As unimpressed as Beckenbauer was with almost every aspect of his Mexican experience, this tournament did see Thomas Berthold, Andy Brehme, Matthäus and Völler start World Cup matches for the first time. His 1990 tournament winners forged their base in Mexico. Back in Nezahualcóyotl Piontek was preparing his team to face Uruguay. With the tackles likely to be arriving hard and in number, Piontek advised his players to ease up on the dribbling and move the ball quickly.

‘And what they did,’ remembers the Danish TV commentator Svend Gehrs, ‘was dribble more than ever.’ It didn’t go over well at all. Denmark were already an Elkjær goal to the good when the already booked Miguel Bossio vented some of the Uruguayan frustration with a scything hack at Frank Arnesen and was promptly sent off. What followed was an exhilarating slaughter. The dynamic Søren Lerby broke from midfield to add a second for Denmark before Enzo Francescoli bought the cheapest of penalties and converted it himself to give Uruguay a glimmer of hope. Early in the second half the precocious Michael Laudrup picked up the ball twenty yards from goal and glided effortlessly through the Uruguayan defence and around the goalkeeper to score one of the greatest goals in the 1986 World Cup. On the Uruguayan side Jorge da Silva’s head went at this point, and he launched into a sickening stamp on Denmark’s holding midfielder Jens Jørn Bertelsen. The assault put Bertelsen out of the rest of the group phase, and he was barely fit when the knockout stages began. Incredibly, da Silva wasn’t even cautioned.

Retributive justice followed; Denmark had been training so intensely – some in the squad felt overly so – that they were at their absolute peak in the group stages. They taunted, teased and then finished their opponents in style, with Elkjær securing a hat-trick and Jesper Olsen of Manchester United adding another in a rousing 6-1 victory. ‘If we could have beaten them 10-1 we would have done,’ Berggreen says. ‘We couldn’t stop. It was our way of playing.’ It was, quite simply, breathtaking. "Have you got any idea what the world will say if we beat Uruguay, the South American champions?" Piontek had asked his players before the game. The world duly swooned, the neutrals had new darlings and Denmark were now being bracketed among the favourites to lift the World Cup. They were making such light work of the Group of Death that they were in the unique position of being able to chop and change players at their leisure for a World Cup match with West Germany. They could even, if they chose to, weigh up the alternatives of altitude and opponents for the second round and play for a result accordingly.

Denmark wouldn’t entertain this and neither, given their mucky fingers from a similar incident with Austria at the previous World Cup, would West Germany. As both teams were already qualified for the second round they rested players threatened by injury and suspension, but this dead rubber was vibrant and full of life. Denmark won an open and attacking contest 2-0 with a Jesper Olsen penalty and then a beautiful team goal finished off by the substitute John Eriksen, which started from a chipped goal-kick. With around thirty seconds of the game left, there was a dramatic late twist; Arnesen, who had been Denmark’s player of the tournament for many people including Piontek, was fouled by Matthäus. In the days leading up to the game he had been at the bedside of his wife, who had been seriously ill in Mexico. All of the on and off field pressure accumulated, he kicked out at Matthäus and was sent off. He would be a crucial component to lose for the second round match against Spain, where they would collapse to a shocking 1-5 defeat.

In the concurrent fixture in Nezahualcóyotl, Uruguay and Scotland met to decide third place in the group, which would be enough to qualify for the second round. Ferguson had already shown himself to be a man of direct action when he left Liverpool captain Alan Hansen out of the squad prior to the tournament, but he dropped an even greater bombshell when he left Souness out of the team to face Uruguay. On paper and reputation Souness was the perfect man to mix it with the Uruguayan midfielders, but he was out of form, 33 years old and struggling badly in the heat. Having lost over a stone going into the tournament through illness the power wasn’t there and he accepted what was coming. Souness had never been dropped in his career; Ferguson didn’t even put him on the bench. In his autobiography Ferguson would later claim he felt his team selection was compromised by his connections to his Aberdeen players, and his pre-match team talk went off kilter after a row with the unselected Steve Archibald. Initially it didn’t seem like it would matter. After forty-eight seconds a merciless tackle from behind by José Batista on Gordon Strachan produced the quickest red card in World Cup history.

Now with a numerical advantage for the full game Scotland looked certain to win and qualify for the second round, the albatross that’s been hovering over their national squad for decades. What unfolded was nightmare. The French referee Joel Quiniou was never going to show another red card after handing one out so early, and was so cravenly and obviously intimidated it gave the remaining Uruguayans a free pass to get stuck into the Scottish players – and not just with tackles. "If there was a corner, they were pulling your hair," Jim Leighton told STV years later. "Pulling your privates, that kind of stuff. Spitting on you." Despite this Scotland still had chances, the best of which was missed by the fullback Steve Nicol. They threw on Nicholas and Davie Cooper, but couldn’t score. At the other end, the Uruguayan out ball and token class act Francescoli turned in what Brown called ‘the greatest individual performance I have ever seen.’ The game finished goalless, and Uruguay advanced at Scotland’s expense. They were fined 25,000 Swiss Francs by Fifa for their misdemeanours and threatened with expulsion from the tournament.

After a post-match verbal assault on the referee in which he called him ’A murderer’, the Uruguayan manager Omar Borras was banished to the stands for the following game, which to no one’s regret they lost to Argentina. In his press conference Ferguson unloaded several barrels on the Uruguayans; it was SFA chief Ernie Walker who went the furthest, claiming ‘we were associated with the scum of world football.’ It was a grubby end, but Group E in Mexico had lacked for nothing. A heady cocktail of hype, cynicism, brilliance, drama and controversy, the Group of Death was a tournament within a tournament. Denmark won it and became famous, Uruguay became infamous and West Germany – inevitably – went to the final. For Scotland it became another chapter in their catalogue of World Cup heartbreak. "I tell you, I'm glad to go home, believe me," Ferguson said after the Uruguay game, "because it's no part of football." The concept of the Group of Death however has become a ubiquitous part of football, and seemingly any sport using a group stage format.

Whether it’s in a World Cup in football, rugby, cricket or anything else, they will have to go some to be the equal of El grupo de le muerte in Mexico in 1986. ScotlandFootballStats | The Early 1980s The Early 1980s Home > History > The Early 1980s World Cup 1982 Qualifiers After failing to qualify for the finals for Euro '80, and only winning five games in eighteen and losing eleven, pressure was mounting on Jock Stein before he embarked on his first World Cup as full-time manager. This qualification campaign began with a 1-0 win in Sweden, thanks to a solitary Gordon Strachan goal. A goalless draw at home to Portugal followed, before a 1-0 win in Israel where Kenny Dalglish scored the winner. A 1-1 draw with Northern Ireland followed, where John Wark equalised Billy Hamilton's strike. A month later Israel visited Hampden and two John Robertson penalties and a Davie Provan strike gave Scotland a 3-1 win.

The following month the 1981 British Championships took place, and it climaxed with a famous 1-0 win at Wembley thanks to a John Robertson penalty. The tournament was not completed though as England and Wales both refused to play in Northern Ireland due to problems with the IRA When the next qualifier came around, a win against Sweden would all but guarantee qualification. Scotland took the lead with a diving header from Joe Jordan, and seven minutes from time Andy Gray was deemed to have been fouled in the box, and John Robertson scored the resulting penalty to win 2-0. After the game Andy Gray admitted that he had dived, that infuriated the Swedes and Jock Stein. Scotland's qualification was guaranteed a month later with a 0-0 draw at Windsor Park. In the final match Scotland were defeated 2-0 in Portugal, but Scotland topped the group, with Northern Ireland in second place, and both the home nations qualified for the World Cup finals. John Robertson scores the winning penalty kick in a famous 1-0 victory at Wembley.

World Cup 1982 Finals: Build-up & New Zealand In April 1982, Scotland's participation in the World Cup was thrown into doubt as Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands and the Falklands War began. There were people who didn't think that any of the home nations should be taking part in the World Cup while the country was at war. Graeme Souness and Danny McGrain said that Scotland should withdraw, but many members of the British Armed Forces wanted them to take part, as it would boost morale among the troops. Because of this the Scotland team had no problems taking part. On 15th June, the day that Scotland played their first match against New Zealand, Argentina surrendered, and the war was over. Scotland took the lead after 18 minutes when Gordon Strachan went on a solo run before passing to Kenny Dalglish who slotted it home. Fourteen minutes later the keeper parried an Alan Brazil shot, and John Wark scored the rebound. Wark got his second three minutes later when he headed in a Strachan cross. In the first twenty minutes of the second half, poor defending let New Zealand score twice, before John Robertson scored a free-kick seventeen minutes from time.

Steve Archibald completed the scoring with a header from a Strachan corner ten minutes from time, to give Scotland a 5-2 victory. The Scotland team line up before the opening game against New Zealand. World Cup 1982 Finals: Brazil & USSR The following match was against Brazil, who were heavy favourites, it was therefore a shock when Scotland took the lead after eighteen minutes. A long ball from Souness, was headed into the path of David Narey by John Wark. Narey took a touch before unleashing a perfect shot into the top corner of the net. English pundit Jimmy Hill cheekily described Narey's goal as a toe-poke, which caused him to be alienated from the Scotland fans. Fifteen minutes later, Brazil equalised through a fantastic free-kick from Zico, which left Alan Rough stranded on the goal line. Brazil took the lead from an Oscar header at the start of the second half, and that was followed by Eder chipping Rough who was off his line to make it 3-1. Four minutes from time a low shot from Falcao went in off the post to give Brazil a 4-1 victory.

Four days later, Scotland went into the match with USSR, level on points but behind on goal difference. Therefore Scotland needed a win to qualify. They got off to a great start when after fifteen minutes, a defensive mistake let Steve Archibald nip in and slip a pass to Joe Jordan to slot the ball into the bottom left hand corner. This meant that Jordan had scored in the last three World Cup finals. After an hour Chivadze equalized after a goalmouth scramble. With six minutes remaining, Scotland looked to be in no trouble when a lack of communication caused both Willie Miller and Alan Hansen to go for the same ball out on the left, before they both collided, leaving Shengelia free to round Alan Rough and score USSR's second. Four minutes later Souness picked up the ball on the edge of the Soviet box, and hit a low shot that went in off the post to make it 2-2. It was too little too late, as for the third World Cup in a row, Scotland went out on goal difference. David Narey scoring his famous "Toe Poke" to give Scotland a 1-0 lead against Brazil.

Euro '84 Qualifiers The qualification campaign for Euro '84 began with a 2-0 home win over East Germany, which was followed by a 2-0 defeat away to Switzerland. In the next game away to Belgium, Scotland led twice through a Dalglish double, but Belgium won the match 3-2. In the home match against Switzerland, Scotland were 2-0 down before they scored twice in the last twenty minutes with goals from John Wark and Charlie Nicholas. The campaign was finished with a 1-1 draw with Belgium and a 2-1 away defeat to East Germany. Scotland finished bottom of the group with only one win in six matches, which was very poor. After the Euro '84 campaign was over for Scotland, they focused on the 1984 British Championships, which was the last ever tournament as it had been decided to end the British Championships due to falling crowds. Alan Hansen challenges Van Der Elst in the Euro qualifying match in Brussels that Belgium won 3-2.

World Cup 1986 Early Qualifiers When the qualifiers for the 1986 World Cup came around, Jock Stein had Aberdeen's highly successful manager Alex Ferguson as his assistant, and in their first game together Scotland thrashed Yugoslavia 6-1 in a friendly at Hampden. In the opening qualifier, a Paul McStay double and a Charlie Nicholas goal gave Scotland a 3-0 victory over Iceland. The next visitors to Hampden were the group favourites Spain. Scotland went 2-0 up thanks to a double by Mo Johnston, before Spain pulled one back. With fifteen minutes remaining Kenny Dalglish received the ball on the right hand side of the box, before he shimmied past three defenders and turned and hit a powerful left foot shot into the top left hand corner. It was Dalglish's 30th international goal, equalling Dennis Law's all time record, and it gave Scotland a 3-1 victory. In the return match Spain won 1-0, and that was followed by a 1-0 defeat by Wales at Hampden.

The 1984/85 season finished with the first ever Rous Cup, which kept up the annual Scotland-England match after the British Championships was ended. In this match, Scotland beat England 1-0 at Hampden thanks to a Richard Gough header, to win their first trophy in eight years. Three days later a late Jim Bett goal gave Scotland a 1-0 win in Iceland. Scotland line up for the first ever Rous Cup match against England at Hampden Park, which Scotland won 1-0. World Cup 1986 Qualification & Jock Stein Going into the final qualifier, Scotland, Wales and Spain were all on six points, with Scotland having the superior goal difference. But with Spain at home to Iceland, barring a shock result, Scotland needed a draw in Cardiff to qualify for the play-offs, but with Scotland four goals better than Spain, a win would almost certainly win the group for Scotland. The match got off to a bad start for Scotland when Mark Hughes put Wales ahead after thirteen minutes. With nine minutes remaining, a David Speedie shot was handled in the box, and up stepped substitute Davie Cooper for the most important penalty kick of his career.

He hit the penalty low into the right hand corner, and Wales keeper Neville Southall got to the ball but couldn't keep it out. While the Scotland players were celebrating at full time, Jock Stein got into an argument with a photographer, before he collapsed in the dugout. He was carried into the medical room where the doctors tried to resuscitate him, and after half an hour he was pronounced dead. A time of celebration was turned into mourning. For the remainder of the World Cup campaign, Alex Ferguson took charge. As Spain defeated Iceland in the last qualifier, Scotland now faced a two-legged play-off against Oceania's group winners, which was Australia. In the first leg at Hampden, a free-kick from Davie Cooper after 58 minutes, and a goal from debutant Frank McAvennie two minutes later gave Scotland a 2-0 result to take to Melbourne. The second leg finished goalless for Scotland to qualify for the finals in Mexico. Davie Cooper scores the vital penalty that gave Scotland a 1-1 draw with Wales, and took them to the play-offs for the World Cup Finals.

World Cup 1986 Finals The draw for the finals were made on 15th December, and Scotland were grouped with West Germany, Denmark, and Uruguay, in what was dubbed the �Group of Death�. In the build up to the finals, Scotland defeated Romania 3-0 at Hampden, in a game which saw Kenny Dalglish receive his 100th cap, but he would miss the finals due to a knee injury. In the opening game, a low shot in off the post by Elkjaer gave Denmark a 1-0 win. Four days later, Scotland played West Germany in Querataro, and after seventeen minutes, a great move by Scotland was started when Gough received a headed clearance on the right hand edge of the box, before he passed to Roy Aitken who played a great ball into the path of Gordon Strachan. He ran into the box and hit a great shot into the opposite end of the net to give Scotland a 1-0 lead. What was just as famous as the goal itself was the celebration, as Strachan ran to an advertisement board and considered jumping over it, before he put his right leg on top of it.

Five minutes later a great passing move by the Germans finished with Voller knocking a crossed ball into an empty net to equalise. Five minutes into the second half, slack defending let Allofs score the winning goal for West Germany. Going into the final match, Scotland knew that a draw with Uruguay would be enough to qualify in third place, which was now a possibility because of an increase in the number of countries in the competition. The game got off to a good start for Scotland as Uruguay had a player sent-off after only 45 seconds, but for the rest of the match a series of fouls by Uruguay were unnoticed by the referee, and as a result the match ended 0-0, and Scotland finished bottom of their group and went home early from another World Cup finals. Scotland Football Team Managers - Scottish Football Betting Scotland Football Team Managers History of Scotland National Football Team Managers Up until 1958, a selection committee selected the Scotland National Football Team . The only manager appointed during this period was Andy Beattie, who was appointed solely for the lead-up to, and duration of the 1954 Football World Cup . The selection committee was kept in place until the appointment of Matt Busby in 1958.

Since 1958, there have been a total of 18 Scotland National Football Team Managers. The current Scotland National Football Team Manager is George Burley who was appointed on 23rd January 2008. Famous Scotland National Football Team Managers Some of the more famous names to be appointed include: Sir Matt Busby (1958 – 2 games) Jock Stein (1965/66 – 7 games and 1978/85 – 61 games) Bobby Brown (1967/71 – 28 games) Sir Alex Ferguson (1985/86 – 10 games) Andy Roxburgh (1986/93 – 62 games) Berti Vogts (the first non-Scottish appointment (2002/4 – 31 games) Alex McLeish (2007 – 10 games). Alex McLeish is statistically the most successful manager with a 70% win ratio during his ‘reign’. Berti Vogts has the unenviable record of having the worst managerial record (23.33% win ratio).

Jock Stein Jock Stein had a brief spell as Scotland manager from 1965 to 1966. In this time the Scotland National Football Team had a record of 3 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses from their 7 games played. In 1967 he was manager of Celtic Football Club . As manager, he helped Celtic to win all five competitions they played in that year. This included the Scottish League Championship, the Scottish Cup , the Scottish League Cup, the European Cup and the Glasgow Cup. No Scottish club before or since has ever had such a successful season. After a 12-year hiatus, Jock Stein was again appointed Scotland National Football Team Manager. This tenure extended from 1978 until 1985. During this time, Scotland played 61 matches and had a record of 26 wins, 12 draws and 23 losses. After successfully helping Scotland to qualify for the 1986 World Cup, Jock Stein suffered a fatal heart attack. After Jock Stein’s untimely death, Alex Ferguson was appointed as the Scotland National Football Team Manager for the 1986 World Cup.

Sir Alex Ferguson Perhaps the most famous Scotland National Football Team Manager is a certain Sir Alexander “Alex” Ferguson. He was manager from 1985 to 1986 (for the 1986 World Cup as a result of the Jock Stein’s death). Alex Ferguson has had a long and brilliant managerial career. He started as a manager in 1974 and is the current manager of Manchester United for the 2008/09 English Football Season. Sir Alex Ferguson’s management career record is unprecedented. He has won more trophies than any other manager in the history of British football. He has also won more “Manager of the Year” awards than any other manager in the history of British Football. Statistics speak for themselves, so he is rightfully considered to be one of the best managers in the history of world football. The highlight of his still incredible career and life must surely be when Queen Elizabeth knighted him in 1999. The title of “Sir” seems to be the most appropriate honour that could have been bestowed upon one of the all time greatest managers in world football history.

What are the odds on Alex Ferguson again winning a major trophy as Manchester United’s manager during the 2008/09 English Football Season? Free Bets Scottish Football Association 1998 Scotland didn’t attempt to qualify for the first three World Cup Finals as they weren’t yet members of FIFA. Despite qualifying for the 1950 World Cup, the Scottish FA declined to send a team since we weren’t British Champions at the time. So, it wasn’t until 1954 that Scotland eventually took part in the Finals. 1954 Scotland’s first ever manager, Andy Beattie, was appointed to lead the team in Switzerland, however despite being allowed to select 22 players for the squad the Scottish FA decided only 13 could be taken. This caused Beattie, who was only part-time manager due to commitments with Huddersfield Town, to resign before the first game. For their troubles Scotland got grouped together with Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Uruguay.The Uruguayans were strong favourites for the tournament, and they still hadn't lost a match in World Cup history at this stage.

The two seeded teams in the group, strangely enough, did not need to play each other in the group. Also remarkable was that extra time was needed if the scores were level in the group matches. So Scotland only played two games at the tournament, which they lost 1-0 and 7-0 to Austria and Uruguay respectively. The 7-0 defeat remains Scotland’s heaviest of all time. 1958 Matt Busby was supposed to manage the team in 1958, but was unable to after the injuries he sustained in the Munich air disaster, so Dawson Walker was put in charge. Sweden played hosts, and for the first time, the tournament received international television coverage. The 16 teams were split into four groups as in 1954, but now all the teams in the group played each other. If teams tied for second and third place, the outcome was decided by a play-off. Scotland pick up their first point in the competition after a 1-1 draw with Yugoslavia. However, defeats of 3-2 to Paraguay and 2-1 to France saw the team finish bottom of their group and fail to progress past the first round.

Scotland would not qualify for another finals until 1974. 1974 Willie Ormond led the side at the 1974 World Cup, hosted by West Germany. Scotland, were Britain's only team to qualify. They set a World Cup record as the only team to date that were eliminated in the first round without losing a match. Every other team with a zero in the column for defeats in World Cup history up until 1974, had ended up winning the whole tournament. Scotland were drawn in a group with Zaire, Yugoslavia and Brazil. Winning their opener against Zaire 2-0 put the team in a good position, but a 0-0 draw with Brazil and a 1-1 draw with Yugoslavia meant, not for the last time, that Scotland went out a major tournament on goal difference. This was the first of five straight finals with 'oh-so-near' first round eliminations. 1978 The build up to Scotland’s 1978 World Cup in Argentina is largely remembered for the exploits of manager Ally MacLeod, who raised expectations by claiming that Scotland could win the tournament.

In fairness the squad Scotland sent to Argentina was arguably the greatest the country has ever produced, with older players like Bremner, Johnstone & Law coming together with the young crop such as Dalglish, Jardine, Jordan & McQueen. So high were expectations that the Tartan Army infamously sang: 'We’re on the march with Ally’s Army, we’re going to the Argentine, for we’ll really shake them up, when we win the World Cup, ’cause Scotland are the greatest football team'. Scotland faced Peru in their opening match, starting well with a goal from Joe Jordan after 14 minutes. Don Masson squandered the chance to put the team two goals up from the penalty spot and Peru equalised before half time. Two late goals from Peru’s Cubillas sealed a 3-1 defeat. The next match was against Iran and the team started well again, going ahead through an own goal. However, Iran levelled the game in the 60th minute, leaving the manager, players and country devastated. In order to qualify for the next stage, they would have to beat much fancied Holland by three clear goals. The match started badly for Scotland, going a goal down from the penalty spot.

The team fought back to take the lead with goals from Dalglish and Gemmill. Then, at 2-1 up, Gemmill went on to score perhaps Scotland’s most famous goal, beatingthree Dutch defenders before lifting the ball over the keeper. The weeman inspired an entire nation to hold its breath for ten seconds, beforeerupting in hope blinded by uncontrolled euphoria. From anignominious exit out of the world cup, to scoring the most beautifulgoal ever seen on that stage, against the best team in the world,putting an impossible qualification a single goal away. The Tartan Armydared to dream again. However, minutes later Johnny Rep scored anotherfor Holland and Scotland were once again eliminated on goal difference. 1982 Scotland qualified for the 1982 World Cup in Spain after losing just onequalifying game in their group. Jock Steins side got off to the bestpossible start as Scotland romped New Zealand in a 5-2 victory. The next opposition was the mighty Brazil. Brazil came to Spain with their best team since 1970, with some experts regarding this squad to be even better.

Their beautiful flowing samba style football won hearts all over the world, as Zico, Eder, Socrates and Falcao simply looked unstoppable. Despite some early chances for the Brazilians, Scotland shocked the footballing world by taking the lead on the 18th minute through a David Narey’s strike, which would later be infamously described as a 'toe poke' by English pundit Jimmy Hill. However one wants to describe the goal, everyone can agree that it served to spur the Brazilians into action. And on the 33rd minute they duly did as Zico curled in a free-kick to equalise. A header from Oscar was followed by strikes by Eder and Falcao, and Brazil ran out 4-1 winners. Heading into the last game against the USSR, Scotland knew they needed to win since a draw would eliminate them on goal difference. Which is precisely what they did, as the Soviet Union held them to 2-2 draw, which was not enough. So for the third successive World Cup, Scotland failed to progress on goal difference. 1986 Scotland's route to the 1986 World Cup was steeped in tragedy.

Jock Stein's death on a tense night in Wales, as Scotland clinched a play off place, cast a long shadow over the whole 1986 campaign. So it was left with Alex Ferguson to take charge of the team at the 1986 Finals in Mexico, despite retaining his position as Aberdeen manager. In an even first match Denmark beat us 1-0, although a Roy Aitken goal that looked legitimate was disallowed. In the next match Gordon Strachan put us ahead against West Germany in the first half. Unable to hold out, Scotland went in all square at half time before a Rudi Voller goal early in the second half put the Germans ahead. At times it seems that the Scotland team was created to tantalise the support with the the promise that greatness is always just one step away. Amazingly we went into the Uruguay game with qualification still a realistic possibility. Scotland had to win to progress, while Uruguay needed only a draw. Against a team displaying football's uglier side, Scotland were without answers. Uruguay had come to defend deep, and Scotland were unable to exert the pressure that would have made them doubt the wisdom of their tactics.

1990 Scotland qualified for the 1990 World Cup in Italy, a remarkable fifth consecutive finals, and confidence was high after the tournament build up in which the team beat holders Argentina 1-0 in a friendly. The largely unknown Costa Ricans were up first. Against a side making their World Cup debut Scotland were expected to get off to a decent start. However, the opening match saw Scotland slump 1-0 in one of the most embarrassing defeats in their history. The team rallied to beat Sweden 2-1 in their next match meaning that a point in their final group game against Brazil may be enough. With four of the six third place teams set to advance to the second round Scotland had given themselves a chance. They only had to stop Brazil to get there. And this was not vintage Brazil. They'd won both their games but a 2-1 victory over Sweden and a 1-0 win over Costa Rica was hardly the stuff of legends. Despite managing to hold Brazil at 0-0 for most of the game, they scored a late winner. Muller knocked home a loose ball and Scotland, just eight minutes from the draw they needed, were done.

Other results in the group were unfavourable and Scotland failed to progress. The team failed to qualify for USA '94 from a tough group including Switzerland, Italy and Portugal, meaning for the first time since 1970, Scotland missed out on the World Cup. A 0-0 draw with Switzerland at Pittodrie marked the end of Andy Roxburgh’s tenure as manager with Craig Brown taking over. 1998 For the 4th time Scotland were faced with Brazil at the World Cup group stage. It was undoubtedly the biggest stage on which Scotland's national football side have ever performed. Paris in the June sunshine and the Stade de France was packed to the rafters for the inaugural fixture ofthe 1998 World Cup. Disaster struck when the Brazilians scored after only four minutes, nevertheless the team kept going and were awarded a penalty close to half time. John Collins, who in that moment was surely the most composed Scot on the planet, withstood the pressure and stroked home the penalty to equalise from the spot. Scotland went in at the break drawing 1-1 with the reigning champions, favourites, the mighty Brazil.

Then, after 76 minutes, Cafu struck a shot from distance, which Leighton dived to save, pushing the ball away towards his left. The ball looked to bebouncing harmlessly away towards the left side corner flag, until it struck defender Tom Boyd on his chest, changing direction abruptly as a result and cruelly diverting past the hapless Leighton, still stranded at the other side of his goal. A tough game against Norway was next and after going a goal behind, Craig Burley scored an equaliser. The game finished 1-1 leaving Scotland with a chance of qualification going into the final match. Into the final game it stood that Brazil had qualified on six points, Norway had two points from two draws and Scotland and Morocco a point each. Scotland had to beat Morocco and hope Norway get no better than a draw against Brazil. However, the final game against Morocco was a disaster for Scotland, being swept aside 3-0 by the Africans and once again failing to make it past the first round of the World Cup.

Question: Who managed Scotland in the 1986 World Cup
Answer: Alex Ferguson