Heat and harmony big factors for Scotland - Sharp

Coping with the searing heat and maintaining squad harmony will be two key ingredients for Scotland to enjoy a successful World Cup, reckons Graeme Sharp.

The 65-year-old played at the 1986 tournament in Mexico as Sir Alex Ferguson's side exited at the group stage after taking just one point from games against Denmark, West Germany and Uruguay.

"The conditions were really, really tough and the lads will find that again," said Sharp as he promoted the friendly between his former club Everton and Newcastle at Murrayfield on 12 August.

"That was the one thing that we found really tough, acclimatising to the conditions in Mexico. Sports science has moved on now, so they'll be better equipped than we were."

Sharp featured in a frustrating 0-0 draw against Uruguay after he was left out of the defeats by West Germany and Denmark.

"I think the most important thing is to keep everybody happy," he said. "Even in our time, Sir Alex was great. He made sure that, for instance, six players went with this coach, went out for a meal, six went with that coach, six went out with him, just to try and get a bond together.

"You look at the Scotland team now and they are bonded, I think they're very tight. You see their reactions when they qualified and the way the team are very close, so I think that stands them in good stead.

"In our time, it was a little bit different. It was a kind of 'them and us' situation, between the Anglos and the boys who played up in Scotland, and there wasn't really that mix together.

"I'm not saying that was the reason why we didn't qualify, but I found that quite strange, coming from a club atmosphere where everybody was all in it together."

Scotland begin their Group C campaign against Haiti and Morocco in Boston before meeting Brazil in Miami.

"The group could have been kinder but four points may be enough to see us through," said Sharp, who scored one international goal in 12 appearances.

"Brazil in the last game is going to be tough, so I think [head coach] Steve Clarke will be looking to do the job in the first two games and go into the Brazil game with the points already on the board."