WELL, that's that - we WILL qualify for the 2018 World Cup Finals.
After all, Scotland has NEVER failed to qualify for the World Cup Finals, when we have been drawn in the same group as England. OK, this has only happened twice - in 1950 and 1954, when the Home Internationals were used as the United Kingdom qualifying group - with the top two to go through. Oh yes, and we didn't go to Brazil in 1950, after we finished second to the English.
We must not, however, focus on the Auld Enemy, more-or-less ignoring the rest. Slovakia will be tough nuts - in the old days, when we regularly came out in the same croup as Czechoslovakia - there were always some great Slovakian players in the Czech teams, they are no mugs, and it is never easy having to go to Bratislava.
Slovenia could be the group's banana skin, but, Malta and to a lesser extent Lithuania are gimmee's for us. But, we must remember, if we are in second place at the end of the group stage, our games against the bottom team will not count towards being one of the eight qualifiers for the play-offs, so, we have to get goals in all games.
Mind you, given we have yet to beat the Sassenachs, since hostilities resumed, so, by the law of averages of the long history of England v Scotland matches, we are due to beat them.
Whatever happens, being in the same group as our closest neighbours will add a certain spice to club training games in the build-up.
Being drawn in the same group as England should give us a boost for our remaining European Championship qualifiers - getting to France and giving our squad experience of finals, even if we bomb, will build confidence for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
I had a feeling, as the countries came out of Pot One, wherein England had lain, that we would end up with "Them" in our group - still, it could have been worse.
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