SO, the European draws for the new season have been made, and, as if to confirm the impression that football these days is slewed towards the bigger clubs - Celtic get the best draw of the four Scottish clubs.
The Hoops get the comparatively-straight-forward trip to Iceland, to face Starjnan, while St Johnstone must trek right across to Europe to face the Armenian side Alashkert and Aberdeen face an only slightly less daunting trip, to Macedonia, to take on Shkendija. Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who don't enter the Europa League until the second qualifying round, also face a lengthy trip, to Romania, to face Astra Giurgiu.
All four of the Scottish sides are seeded higher than their opponents, but, that ranking should not be taken as a passport into the next round. There are no easy games in Europe these days - even the diddiest of diddy teams are sufficiently well-organised to make things difficult for Scottish teams, and there have been more than a few "upsets", which were only actually upsets if you believe Scottish football's propaganda. It is now widely accepted - your average player on continental Europe tends to be more technically-gifted than your average Scottish one.
It would be nice to think all four Scottish clubs can get over the first hurdle, but, I am not so-certain.
In researching another wee story I am writing, over the weekend, I had a look at the latest UEFA club coefficients. These make interesting reading for the average Scottish fitba fan. Obviously Celtic are the top-rated Scottish club, but, Celtic are only ranked 55th in the UEFA club coefficients (still seventh in the UK, however). The next Scottish club in the list is - I kid you not - the Rangers Tribute Act, in 113th position, followed by Motherwell at 197, Hearts - 227, Dundee United - 228, St Johnstone - 239, Hibs - 266 and Aberdeen, occupying position 285.
There are 454 clubs listed in the European club coefficient list, while, in the overall coefficient rankings, which lists the 54 Euopean leagues, the SPFL is ranked 23rd.
John Collins was having a wee whinge this week, claiming that Celtic are being unfairly penalised in the coefficient tables, because they get so little back-up from the other Scottish clubs, who have tended to be out of Europe before Christmas in recent seasons - a far way off those halcyon days when the Old Firm, Hibs, Dundee, Dundee United, Dunfermline Athletic and Kilmarnock were reaching European semi-finals, and the Old Firm and Aberdeen were winning European trophies.
I have long argued, the Bigot Brothers (when both were in the top league) should have been challenged more domestically, and believed, the ability to rack-up more than an occasional win over either of the big Glasgow sides, would lead to better European results.
I still believe this, but, getting there - ah, there's the rub. I firmly believe Scottish fitba as a whole is happy to accept low standards; the supposed "professional" clubs are, too-often, anything but professional; our players are not being forced to work hard enough on individual or team skills.
Until we eradicate these failings, Scottish clubs, individually and collectively, will continue to struggle in Europe.
John Collins has a point, it has to be conceded. However, Celtic, I would suggest, are not helping themselves. They were the seventh team to be crowned European Champions, back in 1967. In all 22 clubs have won this, the supreme European club prize. Of these 22 clubs, 20 remain within the 454 clubs listed in the latest UEFA coefficient table.
Nottingham Forest and Hamburg are the two to have dropped off the European radar. Of the remainder, Celtic are currently ranked 17th out of the 20. These 20 clubs and their current coefficient rankings are:
01 Real Madrid (Spain)
02 Barcelona (Spain)
03 Bayern Munich (Germany)
04 Chelsea (England)
06 Benfica (Portugal)
08 Porto (Portugal)
10 Manchester United (England)
13 Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
14 Juventus (Italy)
22 AC Milan (Italy)
24 Inter Milan (Italy)
26 Ajax (Netherlands)
30 PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
35 Marseilles (France)
42 Liverpool (England)
54 Steau Bucharest (Romania)
55 CELTIC
95 Feyenoord (Netherlands)
110 Aston Villa (England)
205 Red Star Belgrade (Serbia).
It could be argued, that of these 20 clubs, Celtic had the easiest domestic campaign to navigate their way through en route to European success. Aside from the New Firm days of the late 1970s, when Aberdeen and Dundee United challenged the status quo, Celtic have traditionally been involved in a two-horse race for the Scottish European Cup place - and the other horse hasn't been running over the last three seasons.
Yes, Celtic have lacked competition in Scotland, but, they have, it can be argued, failed to rise to the stiffer competition abroad. They are, in cricket terms: "flat track bullies" - they can win the easy games, but, when the going gets tough, they cop out.
Instead of whining Collins should be laying down the law to his players, and getting them to go much-further in the European Cup than they have for many a long year.
That, go further than in recent years suggestion also applies - even more, to the other three Scottish sides in Europe. In particular, I wish ICT well in this, their debut season in Europe.
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