Glenn Hoddle, the England manager, was upbeat about his team's World Cup chances last night. "I'm still confident we can win it," he proclaimed.

The draw, which places England in Group G with Romania, Colombia and Tunisia, was not exactly what Hoddle would have wanted, but he was not disheartened. "It could've been easier - but it could've been harder. "Romania will be a lot more experienced at World Cup level than us . . . Colombia are so unpredictable . . . but the one we've got to focus on now is Tunisia, and I'm delighted that we're playing them in the opener . . . It's certainly a group we're more than capable of qualifying from."

But Romanian coach Anghel Iordanescu said: "Anyone who thinks England is the best team could be mistaken - Colombia could also surprise us."

Tunisian coach Henryk Kasperczyk was a member of the Poland side that ended Sir Alf Ramsey's England reign at Wembley in 1973 and he said: "I've put England out of the World Cup once. Why shouldn't I help do it again?"

Meanwhile, Scottish manager Craig Brown, whose team face holders Brazil as well as Morroco and Norway in Group A, remained positive. "We did say we wanted to avoid Brazil, but now we have been drawn with them, it is a very exciting prospect. We've got to produce a shock and quite often there is one on the opening day . . . It is a case of Norway, Morocco and Scotland settling for second place."

No thoughts of second best for Brazilian coach Mario Zagallo though, he is confident of winning the group. "I know that Brazil have the measure of Scotland as I know the British style of play well." A concerned Morocco coach Henri Michel said: "I think three teams will be fighting for one place and they will be very difficult for us. I am worried too about the physical side of the game when we play Scotland and Norway."

Norway's coach, Egil Olsen, said: "Scotland will be thinking the same as us. It could be better, it could be worse."