John Oster's bid to help Wales reach the Euro 2004 finals has been boosted by the encouraging words of his Sunderland teammates who lost out to Russia in the qualifiers.

Gary Breen, Colin Healy and Phil Babb were in the Republic of Ireland squad that took just one point from their two group games against the Russians.

But after Wales yesterday were paired with Russia in next month's play-offs, Oster received a timely pick-me-up from his club colleagues.

He said: "I haven't really seen much of Russia, but I've spoken to the Irish lads here. They said Russia are a decent side but that they didn't play too well in Ireland and that they are beatable. They take heart from that.

"But we've got to be really on our game, and play to our abilities and strengths to go through to Portugal.

"We beat Italy last year and we'll have to play like we did that night.

"If someone had said to us at the start of the qualifiers that we could have a play-off, we would have snapped their hand off.

"This is a chance for us to make history because Wales haven't been in the finals of a major tournament since the 1958 World Cup."

Captain Gary Speed is delighted Wales have missed Holland, Spain and Turkey, saying: ''It is amazing how all the big countries have been kept apart.

''But for us it could have been worse. However, Russia have a great home record and we know it will be a real sleeves rolled up battle out in Moscow.''

Scotland could hardly have had a more difficult draw: they will have to beat free-scoring Holland, packed with the world's top players and coached by a man with an intimate knowledge of Scottish football, to secure a place in next summer's finals.

Only Holland's notorious habit of choking in recent crucial qualifiers offers the Scots and their German manager Berti Vogts some hope.

Vogts said: ''We are playing one of the biggest favourites for Euro 2004, and it will be two hard matches. We are the underdogs but we like those situations. We played well against Germany in both matches and that was a big boost, but now we are looking forward and in the first match at Hampden we have to do something special.

''The Netherlands have had a lot of problems with with the qualification matches - not only Euro 2004 but in the World Cup as well. They will have to work very, very hard - the pressure is on them.

''I live very close to the Dutch border so I know their mentality. But they are the favourites and have a lot of very good players, especially with their attacking players such as Ruud van Nistelrooy.

''We know their quality so we have to be organised.''

Holland have Dick Advocaat as their coach, who only quit as manager of Rangers last year, and Vogts admitted that was in his rival's favour.

He added: ''The other problem is that Dick Advocaat is experienced in Scottish football. Maybe I will just have to choose the young players he doesn't know!

''The young players have done especially well but maybe they still need a little more time. James McFadden is only 20, and other players like Darren Fletcher, Andy Webster and Kevin Kyle are under 21. This will be good experience for them - especially looking further ahead to the World Cup qualifiers.

''All the players have done well since the draw against the Faroes - no one was talking about Scotland getting into the play-offs then.''

The Scots have enjoyed little success against the Dutch since Gemmill's goal earned Ally McLeod's team a 3-2 win over the Dutch in the previously lamentable World Cup campaign in 1978. Their last triumph came in a friendly in March 1982