I AM not going to get carried away, but, just maybe, after their loss to the Italians last night, some of our neighbours South of the Solway, will, grudgingly, concede that, when we of the Tartan Army tell them: "You're shite, but you don't know you are", we are singing from a wish to alleviate pain and suffering, not being twisted, jealous "Sweaties", merely offering significant insight.
After all, is not the Tartan Army, through years of exposure to the stuff, the font of all knowledge when it comes to identifying shite football teams?
Those arbiters of good football sense, the English media, will, as ever, attempt to "spin" last night's defeat as, yet another, case of: "Our brave lads giving their all and coming up just short".
Pre-match, I was convinced Italy would win; this morning, I am again wishing I had the strength of my convictions and had wagered some of my hard-earned on Mario Balotelli scoring the winning goal. This outcome was, considering the torrid time the Italian centre forward endured at the hands of the Saxon "Fans with lap tops", always likely.
Similarly, given the two countries now face a "Must Win" match, in Sao Paolo, on Thursday night; regardless of the fact the odds on this evenbtually will be slashed by the bookies - I feel a small wager on Luis Suarez getting Uruguy's winner might pay dividends.
However, less any English visitor, and whoever you are, sir or madam, welcome; this particular Sweatie wishes our neighbours no ill-will. There were moments of hope amidst the disappointment of last night.
Some of the younger men in white offer hope for the future, Stevie Gerrard remains a class act, Roy Hodgson is a good manager - his team is not out of things yet.
Sure, the Uruguay game is, as I said earlier, a "Must Win" game. Furthermore, even some of the red top tabloid hacks have ratcheted back their normal "Engerlund Expects" rhetoric as a new sense of realism has struck home. But, last night's loss was not the end of the world.
Oh how I wish it had been us.
LET us now consider the other big game of last night, the Scotland women's team's loss to Sweden, at Motherwell.
Sure, it was a disappointing set back for the girls, but, as I listened to the BBC Scotland radio commentary, I was struck by how many chances we made - and missed. On another night.....
The Swedish girls are an outstanding outfit, but, we ran them close. The Swedes were always favourites, they will now probably, as expected, win the group, but, the play-off place is still up for grabs and, we can still get to Canada next year.
Scotland back at a World Cup, what an example that would set for our men. Gaun yersel hen!!
FINALLY, Costa Rica beating Uruguay last night should make us feel better. They can beat good teams too, and maybe we should give them more credit for beating us back at Italia '90.
Then, we should maybe ask - did we learn from that?
No.
Did we learn from losing to Paraguay in 1958, not scoring enough goals against Zaire in 1974, Peru and Iran in 1978, failing to beat ten-man Uruguay in 1986, not beating Norway, then losing to Morocco in 1998?
Maybe, instead of blaming Tommy Younger in 1958; Willie Ormond, Peter Lorimer, Denis Law and Joe Jordan in 1974, Ally MacLeod, Willie Johnston and Don Masson in 1978; Willie Miller and Alan Hansen in 1982; Alex Ferguson and Stevie Nicol in 1986; Andy Roxburgh and Jim Leighton in 1990; Craig Brown and Craig Burley in 1998, we ought to be blaming the men who have really held Scotland back these past 50-years or so - the Hampden blazers.
I fear, until we have a bonfire of the blazers, we will be condemned to be on the outside, looking in, on the big occasions.
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