SCOTT BROWN can't get enough of Euro 2012 - in particular, the Celtic and Scotland midfielder is craving Croatia.

For good reason. Luka Modric, Nikica Jelavic, Mario Mandzukic and Co. will be the main obstacle between Craig Levein's side and qualification for Brazil 2014.

The World Cup Group A favourites are currently battling to make it to the quarter-finals of Euro 2012.

After crushing the Republic of Ireland 3-1 in their opening game, then battling for a deserved draw against Italy last Thursday, Croatia's fate comes down to how well they fare when they face European and World champions, Spain, in Gdansk tonight.

Levein has been at the Euros to see first hand if he can find in their opening two games what it will take to make the Croats croak.

Likewise, back here, Brown has been tuned in, and will again be fully focused on this match this evening, hoping to spot some weakness he can exploit when Scotland face Croatia twice next year in the closing stages of our qualifying campaign.

He knows it will be a tough ask, given their prowess which is reflected in the fact they are ranked in the top 10 in the world. Brown admits he has been impressed by the quality shown both individually and collectively by the high-flying Croatians, who currently sit on four points in Group C.

He said: "The Euros have been enjoyable, and Croatia are a good team. They have some great players. It's going to be hard for us again (to qualify), but we're hoping to be there, that's for sure."

Scotland consider themselves to be comparable to the Republic of Ireland in terms of what they have to offer at international level.

Levein has made our national team difficult to beat – though the end-of-season demolition by the United States may suggest something else.

But the manner in which Croatia dominated their match against Giovanni Trapattoni's side convinced Brown the Scots will have to be at their very best when they meet the group favourites.

"The Republic of Ireland are a very good team," said Brown. "They're very strong and had a good record going into the group stage of the Euros. So, to see Croatia do that to them shows we are definitely going to have to get a game plan."

The way Croatia took the game to Italy was another indication that, even with ebullient manager Slaven Bilic set to move on to take over at Lokomotiv Moscow as soon as the Croats depart this tournament, they are a team who must be respected.

Brown remains bitterly disappointed he is looking on from afar as the Euros pick up pace.

The man who turns 27 a week today has yet to experience a major finals. And he was helpless to prevent Spain and the Czech Republic squeeze Scotland out of the qualifying places for this summer's jamboree in Poland and Ukraine.

However, Brown reckons the green shoots of recovery could be seen as Levein gradually moulded Scotland into a more competitive side.

It came as a shock last month, therefore, when the United States reminded them just how far they still have to go with their 5-1 win in Jacksonville.

Brown said: "In the last group, we got stronger and stronger as the games went on.

"But the last game there in America was slightly disappointing. I know we were missing a few faces and we'll get a few back. But we're definitely going to have step up a level."

Brown has a clear vision of what Scotland must do to achieve this ascent. He added: "Everyone expects Scotland to go and fight for everything and to play well.

"We do that, no matter what. But I think we have to be more solid as a core down the middle and as a team.

"We've also got to create more chances and score more goals against good teams like Croatia."

It would be easy to dismiss the defeat in America as one game too many after a long, hard season.

Levein described his players as looking as though they were already in holiday mode.

But Brown, ever the competitor, is not content to accept this as a plausible explanation for the biggest defeat in Levein's time in charge.

On the notion they had mentally swapped boots for flip flops, he said: "I don't think so. They were just the better team.

"We gave away too many sloppy goals and didn't create enough chances. They scored some great goals, to be fair. Hopefully, I can forget about that game in Jacksonville and get on with the rest of my holiday.

"The only time I really think about it is in nightmares, to be honest. It was hard, The humidity was ridiculous, and they started off very quickly. They got an early goal and it killed our game plan right off."

The holidays of which Brown speaks have not got much longer to run as Celtic are back in harness on July 2.

The pre-season schedule is taking shape, with the opening Champions League qualifier on July 31 or August 1 already in Brown's thoughts.

He appreciates everyone in the team must hit the ground running if they are to avoid another Braga, Utrecht or Sion situation.

"There are teams who are maybe halfway through their season and at the peak of their fitness," he acknowledged as he eagerly awaits next month's draw.

"We're just coming back in and have had perhaps three or four weeks' training and one or two games before we play our qualifier.

"But nowadays we keep ourselves really quite fit and ticking over. We get programmes and heart-rate monitors to take away with us just to make sure we are doing our bit."

A heart monitor which is sure to be sent racing when Brown settles down to watch Croatia tonight.