Holiday next Summer?

Well it won't be South Africa after Scotland were beaten by a late goal at Hampden Park this evening to end our remote qualification hopes for the World Cup finals.

A horribly frustrating day has ended in further disappointment. I failed to make my 2pm flight from Luton this afternoon after a cock-up entirely of my own making. I wouldn't mind but I did something similar five or six years ago and missed a rugby international against the Springboks.

Nonetheless, I am proud of my national side tonight for having given it everything they had against FIFA's 3rd ranked nation. Scott Brown was inches away from scoring early on and Kenny Miller struck the bar from a closing angle before missing the best scoring opportunity of the game. He followed-up on a fine save from the keeper who touched a Naismith shot into the post but the goalie anticipated brilliantly well and flung himself low back across his goal to keep out Miller's attempt at sweep the rebound in.

There were a couple of good Scotland chances in the second half too but you felt that Holland had never really tried to engage fourth gear. It was left to a debutant 22 year old to show the pace and desire required to pick up on a Davie Weir error and finish things.

Our fans remained in good voice at the finish and I am sure will walk away knowing that we tried our best again at home and have come up short on merit. The bottom line is that you can't make a silk purse from a pig's ear. You can only play to your strengths and I believe we did that pretty much throughout the tournament. My thoughts go out to George Burley who has already been stabbed in the back by the gutless arses at the SFA who have been doing a fine impression of some of their counterparts down south in previous years. Walk away with your head held high George and let them pass the poisoned chalice on to some other poor bugger.

I shall cheer England on with good grace next year, even if expectations look likely to be higher than ever. Bring on Saturday.