It's considered the ultimate sin and even when you do it in training you can expect a

It's considered the ultimate sin, and even when you do it in training you can expect a rollicking."Other significant successes included the front pair, Darren Jackson and the two-goal Kevin Gallacher. "I've been transformed since I went to the Bundesliga - I think I've played one long ball since I signed," he said."If you give the ball away your team-mates look at you as if you're a criminal. Since joining Borussia Dortmund from Motherwell last summer the 27-year-old midfielder has gained a reputation as a holding player, adept at the kind of man-marking that negated the vaunted Andreas Herzog.More pertinently to Brown's "European" emphasis on possession, playing with Matthias Sammer and Andreas Moller has helped Lambert become a more constructive passer. Seeing, however, was believing, and the technique shown particularly by John Collins and Paul Lambert, who play in France and Germany respectively, meant it was also a bad night for the Eurosceptics.Collins, who had a decent Euro 96 before leaving Celtic for Monaco, is well known beyond Scotland; Lambert less so.

Fervour we expect; but Brown went on to claim that his Scotland had also developed a more Continental style.Those who witnessed the 100mph, hit-and-hope fiasco of Monte Carlo would have had trouble taking such a suggestion seriously prior to last weekend's win over the Estonians at Kilmarnock. Seven weeks after they were jeered off in Monaco following the barren draw with Estonia, their captain, Gary McAllister, was moved to declare Wednesday's performance as "as good team-wise as I've ever played with Scotland".In terms of passion, on the pitch and in the stands, Brown likened it to another epic 2-0 success, over France at Hampden Park eight years ago, which proved decisive in taking Andy Roxburgh's squad through to Italy. I don't see us letting our fans down at home to Latvia and Belarus, though we have a tricky match in Belarus on 8 June.''How quickly, how completely, the mood surrounding the national side has changed. But if we go to Sweden and win, then I'll say we can only throw it away. "I'm being sensible because the group is distorted by our having played more games. Their most arduous remaining fixture in Group Four, against the Swedes in September, is at home. Scotland's, which is also against a Sweden team that Brown has described as the best in the section, comes in Gothenburg at the end of this month."We're not there yet," Brown said.

Aware that Scottish sides tend to function better as underdogs, Brown was at pains to point out that Austria still have the edge in one respect. A great night for the Scots' World Cup prospects did not mean it was goodnight Vienna for Austria, their victims in Glasgow, or indeed for Sweden. Craig Brown found himself yesterday in the unaccustomed position, for a Scotland manager, of having to warn against premature triumphalism. Young Player of the Year: David Beckham, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (both Manchester United), Robbie Fowler (Liverpool), Emile Heskey (Leicester), Chris Perry (Wimbledon), Patrick Vieira (Arsenal) (Awards to be announced on Sunday, 13 April).. These are the awards that have a special meaning for players because it is they who make the final choice.''PFA PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Nominations: David Beckham, Roy Keane (both Manchester United), Steve McManaman (Liverpool), Alan Shearer (Newcastle), Ian Wright (Arsenal), Gianfranco Zola (Chelsea). Beckham is actually nominated in both categories and is joined by team-mates Roy Keane, in the senior award, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the junior category.Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, said: "It is nice to be recognised by your fellow professionals in this way. He's come in from another country, which isn't easy, and taken everything in his stride."Shearer chose David Beckham as his Young Player of the Year.

He's a tremendous player, he's small but he's strong on the ball and has two great feet. The Italian, whose goal defeated England in the World Cup qualifier, is joined in the final six by Alan Shearer, who admitted yesterday that his vote had been cast for Zola. "I voted for him even though he did beat us at Wembley. Gianfranco Zola is the only foreign player in the nominations for the players' Player of the Year which were released by the players' union yesterday, writes Glenn Moore. Judging by his contempt for gravity on the training ground, as well as a lifestyle that brings a new meaning to the cliche of the keeper flying through the air, it may take a bobble to beat him.. Keller, while respectfully wary of Boro's dynamic duo, Juninho and Fabrizio Ravanelli, is confident he will not suffer the same unholy fate. John Harkes, his friend and colleague in the US team, figured in three (winning once), but although Keller describes him as "all-American", the former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder holds a British passport.Banks and Shilton finished as losers. So it won't be a problem for me."He is delighted, none the less, by the thought of being the first "real American", as he puts it with his tongue almost poking through his cheek, to play in a major final at the famous stadium.