Douglas dismisses Iceland coach's 'mind games'

Robert Douglas, the Scotland goalkeeper, believes Iceland's insistence that they are Euro 2004 makeweights is pre-match propaganda.

The two sides meet at Hampden Park tomorrow in the first instalment of a double header that sees the Scots fly to Lithuania on Monday. The Iceland coach, Atli Edvaldsson, has claimed his side have no chance of making the finals in Portugal next year, but Douglas knows Iceland are above his nation in the world rankings and said: "They are talking about writing themselves off already, which I think is a bit of mind games. Eidur Gudjohnsen is a quality player and they have got other guys who play in the English Premiership. We can't write them off, that's for sure."

The Manchester City midfielder Kevin Horlock has brought the curtain down on his international career with Northern Ireland for family reasons. The 30-year-old, who was capped 30 times, was in Sammy McIlroy's squad to play Armenia tomorrow.

The Sunderland defender George McCartney has also pulled out of the squad for personal reasons, although he could be available for Wednesday's home game with Greece.

Wales will be without the West Bromwich Albion midfielder Jason Koumas for their Euro 2004 qualifier against Azerbaijan in Cardiff because of a family bereavement. Aston Villa's young full-back Rob Edwards could make his full international debut after being moved up from the Under-21s to the senior squad.