ICELAND manager Olafur Johannesson believes that winning at Hampden tonight would sound the death knell for any hopes Scotland have of finishing second in Group Nine.

A draw will be interpreted in the same manner as a defeat for George Burley as the hopes of sneaking a play-off spot would disappear like fading cigar smoke.

Johannesson masterminded something of an upset the last time he was on Scottish soil in charge of part-time minnows Hafnarfjordur, knocking Dunfermline out of the Uefa Cup four years ago.

It was regarded in his homeland as one of the greatest wins by an Icelandic club but Johannesson, a carpenter by trade, believes that getting a result against Scotland tomorrow night would eclipse that.

"I have good memories of that cup tie and of Scotland," he said. "If we do beat Scotland it would be a surprise on a similar level to that win over Dunfermline but it would mean even more to me.

"But Scotland are a big team. They are similar to us in that they play very strongly and are quite physical."

Meanwhile, Hermann Hreidarsson, the Portsmouth player and Iceland international whom Burley paid £4.5million to sign him when he was in charge at Ipswich, is not surprised that his former boss is trying to make Scotland into a stylish side.

"I know George very well from my time at Ipswich," he said. "I had a great time with him there. He bought me for Ipswich and I played every game under him, so I'm going to say that he knows his football and knows a player!

"I know he's trying to play an attractive style with Scotland and I'm not surprised, because we played the Ipswich style, something George had been brought up with there.

"I am sure he will do a good job if he is given time to improve the team."