England boss Steve McClaren has warned his players not to take Euro 2008 qualification for granted.

McClaren was England's assistant manager when David Beckham secured qualification for the 2002 World Cup by scoring an injury-time free-kick against Greece in 2001.

But England had been the overwhelming favourites to win that game and McClaren is keen to avoid more shredded nerves.

He said: "I remember the Greece game well, I was on the bench.

"We needed a draw and Greece had nothing to play for. It ended up being one of those nerve-wracking moments you will never forget, with David Beckham scoring with a free-kick with virtually the last kick in injury time.

"I hope it doesn't come to that. But that is how dangerous Croatia can be on Wednesday and that is the first thing I am going to stress to the players."

Meanwhile, McClaren has revealed he did not see Israel's winning goal in their 2-1 victory over Russia.

He was watching the match on television with his sons in a hotel room but he missed Russia's late shot that hit the Israel post and Omer Golan's injury-time goal.

He said: "I have never been a good watcher of matches but I don't know how anyone could have sat through that.

"I felt comfortable at 1-0. At 1-1, I dreaded the worst. It was unbelievably tense and in the end, I could not bear it.

"I slipped into the bathroom and did not watch the last ten minutes at all. It was excruciating.

"I heard the boys cheer twice. The first was for the shot that hit the post, the second was when Israel scored. That is the fine line between success and failure."

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