Craig Levein has already got his thinking cap on after being given the toughest possible baptism as Scotland boss.
The former Dundee United coach discovered his first opponents will also stand in the way of a place at Euro 2012 after the Czech Republic - who visit Hampden Park next month - were drawn in Scotland's group. That would have been tough enough for the Tartan Army. The fact holders Spain followed the Czechs in just made the task even harder.
Levein does not believe qualification is a lost cause though, and said: "The most important thing will be trying to fix the dates. I have some ideas about how I would like the qualifiers to pan out so we need to go away and formulate a plan."
Lithuania and Liechtenstein represent the minnows in Scotland's group, although, as they have proved so many times in the past, it is against the so-called lesser teams that they have the greatest trouble.
If anything, Northern Ireland have been given even more to do after being paired with Italy, Serbia and Slovenia, who will also be in South Africa this summer.
Even the Faroe Islands represent a more difficult foe given former Republic of Ireland coach Brian Kerr is now in charge of the Scandinavians, although Nigel Worthington is looking forward to the challenge.
"You want to be tested against the best," he said. "I am delighted with the draw because I can see teams taking points off each other."
The Republic of Ireland will hope to get rid of their sense of grievance at Thierry Henry's blatant handball by overcoming Russia, Slovakia, FYR Macedonia, Armenia and Andorra to reach the finals, which are being co-hosted by Poland and the Ukraine.
It still hurts Republic boss Giovanni Trapattoni that his team will not be in South Africa this summer, where France have received such a favourable draw.
Yet the Republic's performance that fateful November night in Paris has not been forgotten either and Trapattoni is demanding more of the same, saying: "We will start with the same mentality we had three months ago."
Source: PA
