Do We Need To Play Brazil?

I SUPPOSE I am a football romantic. Ever since I saw that Pele goal in the 1958 World Cup Final - the one where he lifted the ball over a couple of defenders before volleying home, I've been hooked on the Samba Boys.

Of course, there has been the occasional let down, just how we didn't beat them in 1974 remains a mystery. That said we faced a team unworthy of the famous gold and blue strips. So, I am excited about the forthcoming friendly at the Emirates.

BUT, and I'm so sorry there has to be a but: is it the right game for Scotland, now?

We've been down in the grubber for a year or two now, however, we are now starting to get more players playing in the EPL, which has to be the league of choice to play in for our ambitious players. Craig Levein seems to be building a side capable of doing better when it comes to the big two tournaments. These developments are encouraging, but the Scotland A XI remains a work in progress.

Losing to Brazil will not effect our UEFA co-efficient (which only takes cognisance of competitive internationals), but will effect our FIFA one (whereby every international, friendlies and all count). If we win, good, but, let's be blunt, such a result is unlikely.

Better I feel to look for games against European countries which we can take-on with a reasonable chance of beating. Planning for internationals other than competitive qualifiers has to be better thought-out than in the past.

It's a wee bit like climbing up the squash ladder at your local club - you look up, decide which of the higher-rated teams you reckon you can beat, then do so. Thus, you climb the ladder until you get where you want to be, then it's up to you to stay there.

We ought to be planning and mounting a friendlies campaign which will get us high-enough ranked in Europe to put us into a higher pot come the draw for the next World Cup. Doing well in the Carling Nations Cup will also help in this, but will also help our UEFA co-efficient, since these are competitive games, the only ones which count in Syon.

Aye, Brazil v Scotland is an exciting thought, but from a pragmatic point of view, we should be playing someone else.