Football: BEWARE OF THE ICE; EXCLUSIVE WORLD CUP WARNING FOR SCOTS... Scotland will end up left at home if they underestimate Iceland like us says Sproule.

Byline: BY ANTHONY HAGGERTY

IVAN SPROULE last night warned Scotland to write off Iceland at their peril after the Icemen cost Northern Ireland a dream place at the Euro 2008 finals.

Scotland and Iceland join Holland, Norway and Macedonia in Group 9 for the World Cup qualifiers.

Northern Ireland lost home and away to Iceland miss next year's party in Austria and Switzerland despite taking points off Spain, Sweden and Denmark.

On the plus side Iceland did finish a massive 12 points behind Northern Ireland after a wretched campaign which saw them lose and draw with Liechtenstein.

Former Hibs wideman Sproule reckons those two defeats to Iceland went a long way to denting the Northern Irish hopes of a first appearance at a major finals since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

And Sproule, who now plies his trade with Championship side Bristol City, insists they'll be no pushovers and has identified Barcelona's former Chelsea ace Eidur Gudjohnsen as the dangerman.

He said: "We played Iceland in the first game of our qualifying campaign and we were hammered 3-0.

"Iceland were 3-0 up inside the first 40 minutes and it meant the game was over as a contest.

"Gudjohnsen was on fire that day and he was the main difference between the two sides.

"Scotland won't need reminding of Gudjohnsen's qualities as he is a class act and they will have seen him for themselves.

"Iceland are a tough nut to crack and we also found that out the hard way when we lost 2-1 over there.

"Scotland should not under-estimate them in any shape or form and I am sure they won't do that.

"Those two games against Iceland were bitterly disappointing for Northern Ireland and when we look back at the Euro 2008 campaign there is a feeling that we let ourselves down.

"Those six points lost had a massive bearing on our qualification hopes and cost us dearly in the end.

"Northern Ireland feel really sore that we lost both those matches to Iceland and we know we should have done better.

"With no disrespect to Iceland, they don't possess the quality of Spain, Sweden or Denmark - teams we managed to take points off along the way.

"Scotland will need to be wary even though they took points off the likes of France and Ukraine in their Euro 2008 group.

"They look a decent side at the moment and will fancy their chances against Iceland.

"Scotland will have a great chance against Iceland as long as they do their homework and don't go into the two matches thinking the six points are in the bag.

"Scotland, like Northern Ireland, can't afford to take their foot off the pedal against any opposition as you will be punished at this level.

"I am not saying Northern Ireland underestimated Iceland but we should have done better against them.

"Scotland should not just focus on the Dutch, who are the big names in the group. They need to remain professional and concentrate in all their qualifiers.

"It will not be an easy task for Scotland but I think they can take a few points off Iceland if they take the correct approach in both matches."

Sproule admits he was impressed by Scotland's Euro 2008 efforts after being drawn against Italy, France and Ukraine.

But he believes that while the draw for South Africa 2010 might have been kinder to Northern Ireland as it was to Scotland there's no such thing as an easy qualifying draw these days.

Sproule lives for the day when both Scotland and Northern Ireland strut their stuff again on the big stage at a major finals.

Both nations qualified for the World Cup finals in 1986 and the winger hopes it won't be long before they're both back on the big stage.

Sproule said: "Scotland will look at this World Cup group and think they have a chance as it is a nice draw.

"But nice draws can sometimes lull you into a false sense of security as there is danger at every turn in international football.

"Scotland like Northern Ireland have taken points off bigger nations in the Euro 2008 qualifiers and tripped up against so-called smaller nations.

"In Scotland's case it was Georgia and in Northern Ireland's case it was Iceland.

"What an achievement is was for Scotland to beat the World Cup runners-up home and away and then run the World Cup winners so close in their group.

"They are two of the major powers in world football and Scotland gave them both a run for their money in the campaign and might well have qualified for Euro 2008.

"Sadly it wasn't to be for Scotland or Northern Ireland.

"Hopefully both nations can build on those performances in Euro 2008 and take that form into their respective World Cup campaigns.

"Scotland have a young and highly impressive side and Scottish football at both club and international level is on the up and Northern Ireland have shown that they can compete with the best footballing nations once again.

"Everybody is talking about British football in glowing terms at club and international level at the minute and long may that continue.

"It is up to Scotland and Northern Ireland to capitalise on the feel good factor from their recent Euro 2008 campaigns and try and move it on to the next step.

"If we can both keep moving in the same direction then one day we might well see Scotland and Northern Ireland qualify for a major finals.

"That has to be the immediate aim for both nations."

'Scotland shouldn't focus only on Holland'

CAPTION(S):

MAJOR DANGER: Eidur Gudjohnsen; SWEDE NOTHING: Ivan Sproule helped Northern Ireland beat Sweden in their Euro 2008 qualifiers but they still missed out on the finals thanks to two costly defeats to Iceland