The England number two, former Celtic full back John Gorman, believes that Scotland's World Cup players have their best-ever chance of reaching the second stage of the finals when they head for France next month.

Gorman was a player alongside Glenn Hoddle at Spurs, and his assistant manager at Swindon. He was Hoddle's first appointment when he took over as manager of the English team, and since then, Gorman has established himself in the post, despite his totally Scottish background.

Now as he prepares for France himself, Gorman says: ''I think that an awful lot of people under-estimate the Scottish team and the players which Craig Brown has at his disposal. I think that Craig has done a tremendous job, and he has been lucky to have so many really good solid professionals in the squad.

''Take Colin Calderwood, who is a player I worked with at club level. He is an honest 100% pro, and I think he has demonstrated that for Scotland. It doesn't matter what job you ask Colin to do, he will turn his hand to it, and he'll make a job of it as well.

''Then there is John Collins in midfield who has improved a lot from playing in French football, and Kevin Gallacher has done really well for the side.

''But the strength of Scotland lies in the organisation that Craig has imposed on the players. He has done it in the proper way, too. No one ever looks uncomfortable in any role he gives them.

If any country in the qualifying group under-estimates Scotland, then they will be making a huge mistake. Scotland will be very difficult to defeat, even for the Brazilians in that first game. Honestly I think this is the team which could go through to the second round of games. This is the best chance the Scottish team has ever had of doing that.''

Gorman also believes that the preparatory games chosen by the Scotland manager have been right for the players. ''They have only played one country which did not qualify - Finland - but the others will all be in France. We have to play Colombia, and we shall have Kenny Sansom watching Scotland's game against them. Colombia are a very strong side.

''Argentina might just be the best of the South American teams right at this moment, but Colombia are not far behind them.''

Gorman rates the Scottish opposition higher than Chile, the side which beat England at Wembley earlier this year. And he sees them as a threat in the qualifying group in the finals.

But he points out: ''I do believe that we can go through OK, but our biggest problem is the enormous expectations from the public. In many ways the defeat from Chile was the best thing that could have happened to us.

''Too many people were beginning to say that we just had to go across the Channel in the summer and then return with the trophy. It's not like that and when Chile turned up that night at Wembley and won the game, it brought a lot of people back down to earth.

''There are no easy games at international level now. OK, you can get some which are easier than others, but all the teams are better organised now than they were some years back.''

There will no doubt be some cross pollination between Brown and Gorman before the finals. The England team are scheduled to meet Morocco and any information Gorman can provide would be reciprocated by Brown adding any further details to Sansom's report after the clash with the Colombians in the Giants' Stadium tonight.

The co-operation would obviously end if Scotland and England were to meet in the tournament quarter finals. That is a possibility, and then all bets would be off just as they were at Euro '96.

Gorman is a professional and while he will hope to see scotland progress in the tournament that would only be until until his native country met his adopted one. If that happens the job comes before any patriotism. Which is, of course, exactly as it should be.

qGlenn Hoddle is sharpening the blade he knows he will bring down on seven necks in 10 days' time. The coach says he has decided on 20 of the players he will take with him to France and that leaves just two places available, with nine players scrambling for the slots Hoddle will announce on June 1.

And it means there is even more pressure on those who know they are on the margins to prove themselves worthy of one of those final places.

Hoddle's thoughts have crystallised in the past two months. In Switzerland in March, the coach said there were 12 or 13 ''certainties'' in his mind.

Now it is even tighter. ''I would say I know 20 I want to take,'' said Hoddle. ''There's two spots where we've still got an either-or situation, depending on a couple of injuries.''

Skipper Alan Shearer, David Seaman, Tony Adams, Paul Gascoigne, Sol Campbell, Paul Ince, Teddy Sheringham, Graeme Le Saux, Gareth Southgate, David Beckham, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and David Batty were the names that sprung to mind in Berne. In the past two months, Hoddle has probably added Michael Owen, Martin Keown, Phil Neville and two keepers - likely to be Ian Walker and Nigel Martyn. The scramble for the rest is on.