Vogts renews hostilities with ?difficult leader? Matthäus

Berti Vogts yesterday confirmed one of football's worst-kept secrets - that Lothar Matthäus's name is synonymous with conflict - before tipping his fellow German, whose Hungary side face Scotland in a friendly tonight, to coach the former world champions.

Berti Vogts yesterday confirmed one of football's worst-kept secrets - that Lothar Matthäus's name is synonymous with conflict - before tipping his fellow German, whose Hungary side face Scotland in a friendly tonight, to coach the former world champions.

During Euro '96, which Germany won, the pair clashed over Vogts' decision to name Jürgen Klinsmann as captain. However, what seemed to be Matthäus's stubbornness now appears like strength of character to the Scotland manager.

"He's one of the top three German players I worked with," Vogts said. "When we won the World Cup in 1990 he was the leader. He's not an easy person and we had lots of fights, but he's a good man and a very strong one. Maybe after Klinsmann he'll be the German manager."

It was not their shared past that led Vogts and Matthäus to arrange this match, rather the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign next month. According to Vogts, Hungary's style resembles that of Slovenia, Scotland's opening opponents on the road to Germany.

Scotland have only won this year against Estonia and Trindidad & Tobago, and, quite remarkably, they last won in a Hampden Park friendly in 1996. For all that, Vogts was in bullish mood, insisting they were "easily" capable of beating the group favourites, Italy, at home.

Barry Ferguson, absent for much of last season due to injury, will captain the team, with orders to be creative and leave "holding" duties to either Gary Holt or Gary Caldwell. Darren Fletcher will be the apex of a "diamond", Vogts deploying the jargon with a dismissive chuckle.

In goal, David Marshall, 19, is set to win his first cap. "His age doesn't interest me," reasoned Vogts. "His quality does. He showed it for Celtic in Barcelona and he's regularly playing in front of 57,000 crowds."

Hungary, who beat Germany 2-0 in a pre-Euro 2004 game, may field Sandor Torghelle and Gabor Kiraly of Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion's Zoltan Gera. But the most familiar member of their party will be Matthäus, whose fabled volatility one Scot remembers from a match between Rangers and Bayern Munich.

"He's a world-class player," said Ferguson, grinning as he went for the pay-off line. "So it came as a shock when he poked me in the eye."

Scotland (4-4-2; probable): Marshall (Celtic); McNamee (Livingston), Webster, Pressley (both Hearts), Naysmith (Everton); Fletcher (Manchester United), Quashie (Portsmouth), Ferguson (Blackburn), Holt (Norwich); McFadden (Everton), Miller (Wolves). Referee: L Duhamel (France).