It would be a tragedy if we failed to qualify, especially for Dennis and me as the finals are in England."Helder points to the quality of Ajax, who impressively beat Milan to win the European Cup last season. As he says, it seems inexplicable that seven of that team were in the national side when the trouble really began, with a 1-0 defeat by Belarus. There were dressing-room arguments that had the comparatively new manager, Guus Hiddink, wondering whether it was possible to transfer club form to the national side. "Some of the players - Ruud Gullit was one - would never accept that a team can only have one boss," a former Dutch team manager, Dick Advocaat, recalls. Hiddink dismisses the distraction of dressing-room lawyers by saying that none of his side wants a defeat by Norway. Bergkamp does not even want to talk about the off-field problems: "Whatever happened in the past, we can't think about losing It's going to be our toughest match for years.

We must win."Although unbeaten in 16 matches, France began to have serious doubts about qualification after a 1-1 home draw with Poland. Criticism of Jacquet had been gathering momentum and would have become unbearable had the team failed after he left out Eric Cantona and the slightly injured David Ginola in their last game. As it was they won well, but the French still need convincing that Cantona, Ginola and the injured Jean-Pierre Papin - all omitted from the squad for the Israel game - can be considered dispensable. Jacquet knows that while those three talents are priceless, there is always a price in putting them together.

Ginola and Cantona have had their differences, while Papin, in spite of his long absence, still expects to be given the respect his past performances deserve Who would be a manager?. Group One FOR France, nervy echoes of their unsuccessful World Cup 1994 qualifying and the ensuing recriminations. They and Romania are assured of the top two places but the second-placed could face the dreaded play- off. The French are at home to Israel, to whom they lost 3-2 by conceding two goals in the last five minutes when seemingly certain of reaching the United States The Romanians have a tricky match in Slovakia. One hopes France and Romania make it; beyond the English-based Cantona, Ginola, Dumitrescu and Petrescu both have a host of individuals who would enhance the finals. P W D L F A PtsRomania 9 5 3 1 16 9 18France 9 4 5 0 20 2 17Slovakia 9 4 2 3 14 16 14Poland 9 3 3 3 14 12 12Israel 9 3 3 3 13 11 12Azerbaijan 9 0 0 9 2 29 0Remaining fixtures: Wednesday Slovakia v Romania; Azerbaijan v Poland; France v Israel.Group TwoTHE crucial match here was in September when the holders Denmark won 3-1 in Belgium and they are now certain to finish second behind the exciting, unbeaten Spanish, who will be well- fancied in the tournament proper.