Scotland's downfall: Beans on toast or Berti Vogts?

The answer, according to Scotland’s German coach, Berti Vogts, is a poor pre-match diet of beans on toast and star players sharpening their skills in municipal parks. Mr Vogts sounded a less than inspiring rallying cry in an interview with a German newspaper ahead of the crucial Euro 2004 qualifier against his compatriots at Hampden Park on Saturday.

In the interview with Welt am Sonntag, Mr Vogts, 56, points to Scotland’s notorious diet as being partly responsible. "There is the matter of the players’ diet," he said. "Before matches they used to eat toast, scrambled eggs and baked beans."

If true, Mr Vogts’ assertion would explain last month’s 2-0 home defeat by Austria, despite that nation’s fondness for artery-hardening strudel. And the Faroe Islands’ shock 2-2 draw in the first Euro 2004 qualifier last September could be attributed to the Faroese taste for whale blubber - whose nutritional benefits can’t be far off Scottish delicacies such as square slice sausage and tattie scone rolls.

Martin Rose, the chairman of the Scottish Federation of Supporters’ Clubs, thinks differently. He said: "Our players are as fit as their counterparts in Europe. Diet is important, but at the end of the day, the way Scotland play, the tactics and the team selection is down to Berti Vogts - it’s not down to diet."

Mr Vogts, has come in for heavy criticism for his direction of the national team. In 14 competitive matches, his team has recorded just three victories - and a worrying nine defeats.

Part of the problem, explained Mr Vogts, is a lack of facilities. "I spent four hours driving around Edinburgh trying to find training pitches for my team," he said. "Lots of club players train in public parks."

Germany, the World Cup runners-up, beat Canada 4-1 in a friendly on Sunday night, in an impressive show of strength.

But Mr Vogts said:

"Scotland has beaten Germany more often than England and we have confidence in ourselves. Anyone can be beaten over 90 minutes." If he is right about diet, the Scotch pies will have to be reserved solely for the foot soldiers of the Tartan Army.