The veteran Rangers' striker, Ally McCoist, will be given his final chance of going to the World Cup in France this summer at the weekend, as Rangers make their own last effort to win a tenth premier division championship in succession.
Craig Brown the Scotland manager, has confirmed that he will send one of his backroom staff to Dundee, where the Ibrox side will be facing Dundee United at Tannadice, specifically to watch the 36-years-old striker - although he realises that McCoist may not be in the starting line-up.
Brown will be at Celtic Park, where another of his front players, Darren Jackson, may manage to find a place in the starting line-up against St Johnstone as Celtic bid to take the title for the first time in a decade
The manager will name his squad of players next week for the World Cup warm-up games in the United States, against Colombia in New York and the USA in Washington, and for the finals.
This weekend will give Brown and his staff the only remaining opportunity to look at McCoist, whose late return to the Rangers team re-kindled his chances of making the squad for France, and Jackson, who was dropped from the Celtic squad at Dunfermline last Sunday.
Brown recognises that he has problems with players who are not playing regularly as first-choice men at their clubs. Both Jackson and McCoist have had their problems and midfield player Stuart McCall has been another who has found it difficult to hold down his place.
These men are in addition to Tosh McKinlay, who has disappeared from the Celtic set-up almost completely.
As well as the quandary Brown faces over McCoist and the others, there has been further concern for him over the former Aberdeen striker, Scott Booth, who is on loan from the German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund and playing for FC Utrecht in Holland. Booth missed Utrecht's league game last weekend because of a stomach muscle problem.
Brown had planned to look at him in Utrecht's last league game of the season, against Ajax in Amsterdam on Sunday. Last night these plans were on hold as the team manager attempted to find out whether Booth would be fit to play in the game or not.
Once more, Booth falls into the category of a player - like McCoist - who has made a late run for inclusion in the squad of players for the finals.
Brown admits: ''This is going to be a difficult choice for me. I have said all along that if players were not in their club sides, then I would have to take into consideration what they had done for us and take a look at their levels of fitness, and that still applies.
''I hope that I can see Ally McCoist and Scott Booth at the weekend, and that way make an up-to-date assessment of the two players. Obviously some of the players are going to be disappointed but I shall speak to all the players before making the squad announcement. I feel that is something I must do.
''I shall contact Utrecht before the weekend to find out if Scott Booth is playing. If he is, then I shall try to be in Amsterdam on Sunday for a last check.''
Meanwhile, Juninho is at the centre of a World Cup storm which is threatening to upset Brazil's France 98 preparations.
Scotland face the world champions in 34 days in the tournament opener, but Brazil are in turmoil after the squad announce-ment this week.
A rift has developed in the camp after Brazil's decision to omit Juninho, who has just returned from a leg break. Bar-celona's Giovanni was named ahead of the Atletico Madrid man - and that has caused unrest between coach Mario Zagallo and CBF president Ricardo Teixeira.
Zagallo wanted Juninho in the squad, but his hand was forced by the selection committee headed by Teixeira and Zico.
Juninho was distraught at the news and admitted to disbelief after hearing the squad. His annoyance was heightened with the fact he received a visit from Brazil's national team doctor last week for a fitness check - and was given the green light for France.
He said: ''I am fit and would be able to play for 90 minutes in all of the matches. ''I am disappointed because I felt I was a very important member of the team before I was injured.''
q SCOTLAND fans waiting for World Cup tickets have been told not to worry after French postal workers staged a strike.
The postmen have left 2.5m tickets piled up in an aircraft hanger south of Paris after the strike at the sorting offices of the French capital.
They are stuck there until the dispute is resolved, but Scottish football officials have told the Tartan Army not to panic because the valuable briefs will arrive by courier.
SFA spokesman Andy Mitchell said: ''I don't think fans have any worries because the tickets we will receive won't arrive by the post.''
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