I am and always will be a proud Scot - and supporter of the national team . But ...and it is a big BUT, there have been times during my life when I have been sorely tested in my support - and it has always been due to the treatment of Celtic players by the national management .
I watched throughout the late sixties , when Celtic had the best team in Europe ( evidence ? The European Cup ! ) and yet few of our players ( from an all Scottish team ! ) struggled to make the national squad . There always seemed to be a better player in most positions than a Celtic one - even if few had heard of them .
Then there was the refusal to play Celtic players in their best positions - usually moving them to accommodate a more limited Rangers player who could not be as adaptable as the Celtic one .
Jimmy Johnstone ( some of you might have heard of him , he was not a bad player on his day ! ) left out for Willie Henderson ( of Rangers ) - how many furth of Scotland had even heard of him , while Jimmy Johnstone was world-renowned , yet more often than was justified , Henderson was chosen ahead of Jimmy ! Or , Jimmy was moved to the opposite wing to let Willie Henderson have a game on the right .
Sound familiar ? The 'great' Sandy Jardine was often capped for Scotland - at Right Back , Mcgrain's position , so Danny was moved to the left to accommodate the less gifted Jardine - who played for Rangers !
Which other team in the world would move world class players to suit a player of lesser ability ?
''Anybody who saw him at his best had the unmistakable impression of watching one who had no superior anywhere in the world '' , said the great sportswriter Hugh McIlvanney of Danny McGrain . But obviously those running the Scotland team had different views .
I remember Kenny Dalglish ( while at Celtic ) was on the verge of breaking the record for consecutive caps for Scotland when he was inexplicably dropped from the team - Kenny Dalglish ! Dropped ! And for whom ? I cannot even recall - but I don't think it was for Maradona or Pele , who would have filled his boots .
So the latest furore from EBT McLeish and his supporters in the SFA do not surprise me . The sidelining of Celtic players and the promotion of lesser ones is old news .
I hope that Scotland win but we do their chances of winning no favours by allowing scoundrels like Mcleish to curry favour with his Sevco allies by his reprehensible actions towards Celtic players , who most would agree should be part of the strongest team to face the opposition .
What was that , James ? You scored four goals at the weekend ? Great , you can sit on the bench and watch wee Naissy do his impersonation of a dog chasing paper ! That will enhance your prospects of getting into the next squad - to sit on the bench , again .