JINGS, crivvens, help ma boab - Scotland actually won an international. I long ago stopped having any, far less great expectations when it came to our clubs or our international team's performances against opposition from outwith Scotland. The culture of Scottish football is firmly set against preparing our players and teams for confrontation in the wider world. For the last 30-years or more we have concentrated on "character", "physical fitness", the desire to run through a brick wall and ignored ball skills, passing ability and the other technical skills.
That said, there were a couple of cameos in last night's game versus the Aussies, when Scots, particularly Robert Snodgrass, had me thinking that all was not lost - but, while I hope I am wrong, I still don't see us getting to Rio in 2014.
At least we did beat the Australians last night. Just as they would expect to beat us nine times out of ten at cricket, I cling to the notion that we should enjoy the same level of success against them at our game.
We beat them at rugby in the summer, we have now beaten them at football and Chris Hoy beat their best man in the Olympic keirin race - does that mean we get them to keep?
YESTERDAY afternoon I was speaking to a journalist pal who is an unashamed Rangers supporter. Indeed, he is, to some of us in this game - the life-time Right Worthy Master of the Lap Top Loyal.
He was heading for Easter Road and when I told him I would not "out" him as a Scotland fan, he scoffed, as I knew he would. He and I are both of the generation who grew up in a Tartan Army the majority of whose membership was overwhelming Rangers supporters. He has no time for those Ibrox men who sport England shirts and profess to being England supporters at international level.
My mate reckoned, between Hibs fans who hated him, Hearts fans who were unhappy at his decision to leave and Rangers-hating fans of other clubs, Ian Black would get a mixed reception when Craig Levein put him on off the bench last night.
We both knew that Levein, after the flak he has taken since the squad was announced, would blood Black. That was a no-brainer.
Mind you, I still feel that Black isn't Scotland class; neither is Charlie Mulgrew and for all he put in a terrific cross for the opener and has obviously improved since returning south, I am not convinced about Danny Fox. Also, while he still bombs forward brilliantly, Alan Hutton's defensive frailties still concern me. A full back's first function is to defend and sadly, the guys we currently have vying for the numbers two and three jerseys with Scotland are all to a degree deficient in that department. How I long for my Jardine and McGrain of long ago.
A NEW season and still Rangersgate rumbles on. When oh when are BDO going to come in and sort out this on-going mess? When they do, just watch the fun begin, because, if they do their job properly, nobody, David Murray, Craig Whyte, Duff & Phelps, Charles Green, the SFA and the SPL will emerge with their credibility intact. This latest row, about the Dundee United cup money, surely indicates that something needs done, and quickly.
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