Big Win In Zagreb - Small Ripple Across The Pond Of International Football

Many years of following Scotland has taught me one thing - difficult though it is, it pays to maintain a degree of balanced cynicism when assessing international results.

You bet, I am delighted at last night's result from Zagreb, but, one somewhat fortuitous away win doth not immediate qualifiers for the 2016 Euros make. Sure, the 70th ranked nation in FIFA beating the fourth-ranked, away from home is a good result, however, I have long held that FIFA's rankings system is flawed. Look at it in European, or even Scottish terms rather than world rankings.

In European terms, Croatia went into last night's game as the third-ranked side, Scotland were ranked 34th. In Scottish terms, the game was St Johnstone v Peterhead. OK, you would expect Saints to beat Peterhead most times they played, but, supposing the Saints players looked at the opposition and decided: "This lot can play nane, this'll be easy", were defied in the opening 20 minutes, shipped a goal in a breakaway then couldn't lift themselves to get an equaliser and finally lost 1-0.

It could happen, nobody would think too-much of it and, after a short time, the world would move on.

Last night's win was just another in the long list of "great" Scottish victories which, in the bigger picture, meant little. This is an eternal quirk of the Scottish football psyche. The Wembley Wizards match was a wooden spoon decider. Wembley 1967 was a European Championships qualifier - we humbled England that day, they still won the qualifying group. We beat France home and away in another European qualifying campaign, but lost in Georgia and didn't get through.

Pre-match I mentioned it fell on the 35th anniversary of the Iran game. In some ways, last night we were Iran. The fancied team didn't play and were embarrassed - usually it's Scotland that is the fancied team which under-performs. So, we should be thankful, for once the boot was on the other foot.

We rode our luck big style, but, the boys showed that one long-held Scottish tradition was in evidence; they battled for each other. It wasn't pretty at times, but they played like a true Scottish team, all for one and one for all.

I've never been a great McGregor fan; sure, he makes some fantastic stops, but, I don't rate his penalty box management and his judgement of crosses. Last night, he didn't have a single Class A save to make, but, he let a couple of dangerous balls whip across his face.

Hutton has always been over-rated; sure, he gets forward well, but is all too-often caught ball watching. I think, however, going to Spain has improved him - he did well.

Our untried central pairing were no worse than anything else we might have had. I was surprised that Andy Webster wasn't playing. However, on last night's evidence, we could do worse than allow Hanley and Martin to grow together.

Steven Whittaker is Mr Dependable, stick him in the team, he will rarely be outstanding, but, he will not let you down, he was rock-solid.

The midfield all did exceptionally well. Skipper Morrison filled gaps and made himself available in the manner of Darren Fletcher; I don't think he touched the ball too-often, but he was always around it and available, always encouraging and backing-up. Watching him with Hamilton, I always felt McArthur was more of a team player than the more-celebrated McCarthy. He has now, unobtrusively grown into a Scotland player of stature.

Snodgrass gambled for the goal, took it well and was tireless, the sort of box-to-box midfielder we used to produce by the barrow-load and sell-on to the top English clubs. Bannan exploded into the Scotland squad a wee while ago, then, partly through his problems at club level, all but sank. A lot was asked of him last night, he hasn't played too-much in recent months, but, he played well last night, taking advantage of his chance, which came through injuries to others. He wanted to play for Scotland - others please note.

I've never been much of a Maloney fan, but, he's had a terrific end to the season, relegation notwithstanding. He has shone like a beacon in a poor Wigan team and last night, he had probably his best game in a Scotland shirt. He's a throwback to the kind of players we used to produce in numbers and all the more welcome for that.

Finally Leigh Griffiths. It wasn't his type of game, what he was asked to do is alien to his nature, but, he ran himself into the ground, must have covered several thousand acres and for all his was a thankless role, he received terrific thanks from Strachan and particularly McGhee - who surely knew what the lad went through.

In short, last night - we had a Scotland TEAM. And, I feel, Strachan is building a squad.

That's another thing, this team grew out of a lengthy period together in the build-up, maybe we should play fewer meaningless friendlies and have more squad sessions, perhaps ending with a bounce game against a club side, to build-up confidence.

Next up, it's England. I'm scared; last night we showed we can beat a good team that has a bad night. What if Wembley turns out to be the night the bad team - England - has a good game? Maybe we should have lost last night, just to keep English over-confidence high, then slaughtered them.

On second thoughts, no - we've been down that road before. Let's just beat them any way.

Here's how I'd like to beat the English. They hammer us for 90 minutes, are denied three stone-wall penalties, then, in injury time, an English shot rattles our cross-bar, comes down a yard over the line, but, the goal isn't given. Our centre-half hoofs the ball up the park where our centre forward, a couple of yards offside, brings it down with his hand, turns, runs at the England goalkeeper, nutmegs him, sees his shot hit one post, trundle along the goal line, hit the other post and, as he rushes back to try to clear, a back-tracking England defender is tripped by our now prostrate striker, falls flat on his face and heads the ball into the net. The goal is given, the final whistle is blown - England 0 Scotland 1. Dancer!!