THE Scotland midfielder John Collins will not join up with the rest of the squad in Glasgow later this week. Instead, he will make the short journey from his home in Monaco to the team's Provencal headquarters.

Collins returned to Monaco yesterday and it seems that he will decide his footballing future in talks with the French first division club while he is there.

He admits: ''I want to leave Monaco now and my ambition is to play in the English Premiership before I retire. I have always wanted that chance and this is now the time to take it.

''I know that there are clubs who are interested as I go into my last season.''

Collins could wait out his contract but his preferred option is to go now while Monaco can collect a fee, instead of opting for freedom of contract, as he did when leaving Celtic two years ago.

Back then, Everton attempted to buy him and they could again be back in the bidding for the player who would fetch around #2m in the transfer market. Collins' displays in the Champions' League have attracted attention from England and the World Cup could further enhance his prospects of finishing his career where he wants to.

It could also be that Blackburn Rovers, ready to spend this summer, may be interested in adding to their Scotland World Cup players - they have three already in captain Colin Hendry, Billy McKinlay, and Kevin Gallacher.

Yesterday, as the team jetted home, Hendry was concerned about the three yellow cards which were collected by Colin Calderwood, Darren Jackson, and Tom Boyd.

Manager Craig Brown had earlier admitted that in France the challenge by Calderwood on Tab Ramos might even have brought out a red card under the new FIFA instructions.

Said Hendry: ''It is a worry for all of us. But it works both ways, remember, and it could be that Kevin Gallacher will be taking some hefty knocks because of his pace and control, and so opposing defenders will have to be careful.

''There were a few fouls on Kevin by the USA which might have had players ordered off in the finals.

''I think we have returned in good shape and ready for the Brazil game, which will be the biggest of our lives. I hope we can do well and I know that we shall all be trying to play our best and then trying to add something extra.

''That is what we will need on that day.

''It does not concern me that there is criticism of the team being too old (eight of the side which started against the United States are over 30) because although I am 32 I feel that I am a better player now than I was 10 years ago.''

Like all of the other players, Hendry suffered in the heat and he reckons he lost 6lb in the 90 minutes' effort in the RFK Stadium.

''I tried everything,'' he sighed, ''and eventually I gave up the sun block and the head band and simply opted for wearing wrist bands. But there was little any of us could do to stop the effects. It was hard going.''

Yet Hendry, the Braveheart of the team, the icon of the Tartan Army, looked cool and collected in the thickest of the action. It was encouraging to see that blond head rise above everyone so often in the second of the two warm-up matches.

The United States, naturally, are focused on the World Cup just as the Scots are. But while Scotland look to Brazil, the Americans do not worry over group giants Germany. Their major concern is the game against Iran.

However, their coach, Steve Sampson, is determined to deflect the talk of that game, which clouds his World Cup expedition. After the game he said brusquely: ''We want to show Iran that we are a football nation. Nothing more than that. This is not about politics and we are not interested in that aspect.''

The rest of the country, though, is already obsessed by this coming clash.

Meanwhile, Scotland's group A opponents, Morocco, announced their travelling party. Riahi Redar and Ahmed Bahja were the surprise omissions when coach Henri Michel named his 22-man squad yesterday for the World Cup finals.

Redar, a lively 24-year-old forward who has been in prolific form for Raja Casablanca, had been struggling for fitness but was expected to be included in the squad for France.

He came on as substitute in the 1-0 defeat by England in the King Hassan II Cup on Wednesday but clearly did not do enough to impress Michel.

Striker Bahja, who has been in good form for his club Ittihad Quatar of late, was also expected to be in the party despite not making Michel's provisional 27-strong squad named on May 13.

A popular figure in Morocco, Bahja clashed with Michel over disciplinary issues earlier this year.

The most surprising inclusions were central defender Rachid Nekrouz, who plays with Italian club Bari, and attacking midfielder Gharib Amzine, a 22-year-old with French second division team Mulhouse.

Morocco's World Cup squad:

Goalkeepers - Abdelkader Brazi (Royal Armed Forces), Driss Benzekri (Settat), Mustapha Chadli (Raja Casablanca)

Defenders - Youssef Rossi (Rennes/France), Smahi Triki (Lausanne/Switzerland), Nouredinne Naybet (Deportivo Coruna/Spain), Abdelkrim el Hadrioui (Benfica/Portugal), Rachid Nekrouz (Bari/Italy), Abdelilah Saber (Sporting Lisbon/Portugal), Lahcen Abrami (Widad Casablanca).

Midfielders - Said Chiba (Compostela/ Spain), Rachid Azzouzi (Greuth-Feuth/ Germany), Youssef Chippo (Porto/Portugal), Moustafa Hadji (Deportivo Coruna/Spain), Tahar el Khalej (Benfica/Portugal), Jamal Sellami (Raja Casablanca).

Forwards - Salahdine Bassir (Deportivo Coruna/Spain), Abdeljalil Hadda (Club Africain/Tunisia), Ali el Khattabi (Hereveen/Netherlands), Abderahim Ouakili (TSV 1860 Munich/Germany), Gharib Amzine (Mulhouse/France), Rachid Rokki (Moham media).

qScotland's youngsters were celebrating last night in Portugal after defeating Russia 1-0 to win a four-nations tournament.

Stuart Fraser scored the winning goal that secured the trophy after they had previously drawn 0-0 with Portugal and defeated Spain.