YOU take a week off and what happens - you return to find the world, if not turned upside down, has perhaps moved slightly on its axis.
Looking at the Europa League first leg results - what can one say. Hearts losing to Tottenham was hardly a surprise, even if the 5-0 score line was a real kick up the back-side to everyone around Gorgie.
Rangers' loss in Maribor was perhaps something of a self-inflicted wound, losing a last-minute goal undid what was, up until the ball hit Allan McGregor's net, a good result. One would hope that Rangers can make home advantage pay in the second leg, but home advantage in Europe is perhaps not what it once was for Scottish clubs, given Celtic's travails against Sion at Celtic Park.
That 0-0 draw was seen as a "one-off" disappointment for Celtic; such results happen. Then, on Sunday, St Johnstone travelled to Kerrydale Street, took an absolute hammering, but still won 1-0. Another one-off? Maybe, but, two bad results in a row for Celtic have the doom mongers in full song.
Of course, Sion might still be thrown-out of the Europa League, Celtic could still turn the tie around and win in Switzerland on Thursday, while Rangers, after sweeping previously table-topping Motherwell aside with what was hardly Ally McCoist's first-choice line-up, will surely be expected to beat Maribor at Ibrox - or could we maybe see another bad night in Europe?
If I was a Celtic fan, I wouldn't be putting too-much faith in UEFA giving Celtic the equivalent of a Junior football "protest" ticket to the Europa League group stages, should Sion beat them on Thursday. I would, similarly, not be too-confident of the squad's ability to put away the chances which they have hitherto been squandering.
Let's just say, if we have more than one club still in Europe on Friday morning, I for one will be surprised. And if we have none and are set for life among the minnows for a year or so, I will not be surprised either. We live in interesting times.
Rangers' comfortable win over Motherwell was achieved on the back of the club being denied, through injuries and visa/work permit problems, a considerable number of what we should consider first and second picks. This worked-out well for the likes of Jordan McMillan - who was, until Sunday, probably most armchair selector's fourth-choice right back. Ross Perry would similarly be ranked behind four or five players for one of the centre back slots - while young Gordon Wylde was at the heart of some: "Coisty doesn't rate him, He's fallen out with the gaffer, He's going to be moved-on" headlines and innuendo.
McCoist is perhaps on the way to re-considering his previous ideas as to his optimum XI; he has another three new boys to ease into his squad, but, top of the league and unbeaten since Malmo's win at Ibrox last month, he is in the fortunate position of being able to tinker on the back of a run of form.
Neil Lennon is now the man under pressure. His comments after the St Johnstone debacle have, naturally, been spun to just short of the graphics crew slotting the cracked club crest into the page plan; it will be interesting to see how some of his squad react to being publically grabbed by the goolies by an upset manager. The next two games are crucial to Celtic's season.
As to Hearts - they are already out of Europe. It will be interesting to see what sort of squad Paulo Sergio fields at White Hart Lane and what he does to quickly get his club into the top six and challenging the big two - the very least his club owner will demand.
The early weeks of the season have shown that there are some coaches in the SPL - Danny Lennon, Kenny Shiels and Stuart McColl being in the van, who are prepared to put their faith in football in an effort to get close to the perennial big two.
I am disappointed at how things have gone in Europe, but not overly concerned. I feel better days are around the corner. Now, if other clubs would follow the McCoist lead and let young Scottish players show what they can do - I'd be even-more confident about the future.
Things were bad last week - this need not be our usual state. I asked at the top, what it would take for reality to strike; hopefully, last week's poor results were the wake-up call.
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