So Scotland gets Germany, Republic of Ireland, Poland, Georgia and Gibraltar.

It could have been worse, I suppose. (Could it have been worse?)

We won’t finish ahead of Germany. I don’t think we’ve beaten them for over forty years.

Ireland, Poland and Georgia are all tricky. And Gibraltar? That’s the sort of international team we have struggled against in the not so recent past.

Still, Gordon Strachan has improved things. Look on the bright side.

International Friendly, Pittodrie Stadium, 6/2/13

I suppose we should be grateful for small mercies. A win’s a win after all – and those were difficult to come by under Craig Levein.

The highlights didn’t look very exciting and a poor pitch didn’t help. The goal came from a set piece – which is how we’ll have to hope to score against the likes of Belgium and Croatia – and Allan McGregor saved the jerseys at one point.

Gordon Strachan’s mood music is brighter than Levein’s, he’ll most likely play in a more attacking style. The players might take heart from it.

It was only Estonia (no mugs, but also no great football power) but a clean sheet is always welcome.

We also have a few players in England’s top level, not something that could be said for a while.

It’s still going to be an uphill struggle to get a decent draw in the next European Championship.

So. Gordon Strachan.

Not much of a surprise there.

Can he turn things round though?

I heard Gordon Strachan on the news the other day referring to the Rangers situation. He said something along the lines of, “How can you let a club which all those players and managers have put so much into, with so much proud history, go to the wall? It wouldn’t be right.”

Well, Gordon. Airdrieonians were a club that players and managers had put a lot into and had a proud history – four Scottish Cup finals among that. They went to the wall.

The third Clydebank FC died as a result of Airdrieonians demise as they were taken over and moved to Airdrie to become Airdrie United. Lots of players and managers and maybe not so proud a history, but they did make it into the Premier Division and reached a Scottish Cup semi as a second tier team. Their fans were powerless to prevent the takeover but did set up a junior team.

Third Lanark were a club that players and managers had put a lot into and had an undeniably proud history – including a League Championship and two Scottish Cup wins. No one acted to save them.

Going further back St Bernard’s have a Scottish Cup win to their credit and ultimately went out of business due only to the untimely death of their main benefactor. No one helped them.

Was it right that these clubs were allowed to die, Gordon? Just because they were smaller clubs doesn’t mean their fans were any less passionate about them. Just because Rangers have a large following does not mean they should be extended concessions those clubs were not.

Gretna FC’s story is more akin to that of Rangers. Grossly overspending and over-reachinbg themselves they had to be bailed out to the end of their only SPL season and were then punted. They had a Scottish Cup final along the way, though, if that was something they could be proud of considering how they achieved it.

And as for Sandy Jardine’s vainglorious statement about Rangers fans taking action against other clubs this reminded me of the playground bully and is exactly the sort of thing we real football fans (as opposed to glory hunters) have come to expect from the institution that he is trying to defend. Sandy; you’ve done the crime, now do the time. Take your punishment like a man. At the least, this should mean expulsion from the SPL.

To those real fans of Rangers who recognise their club is in the wrong here and that its behaviour cannot be condoned nor encouraged in the future by any holding back of sanctions now, I offer my condolences and my apologies for the intemperate nature of the previous paragraph.

SFL Div 2, Ochilview, 23/10/10

League goals for predictor:- 15.

Two must win games in succession both lost.

Now every game will be a must win until relegation is confirmed. (At this rate that will be sometime in January.)

This is the penance we must suffer for the good times.

Onebrow opined during the game that he’d always thought that the way we won promotion two seasons ago was too good to be true. And so it proves.

This was 4-0 going on a complete embarassment. And to the team merely one place above us in the division.

It was over as a contest as early as the third minute when we lost the sort of scruffy goal you concede when you are going to be relegated.

A routine ball into the box wasn’t hoofed away by Devlin as it should have been – Chissie would have got rid of it no bother – Grindlay flapped at it, knocking it onto the Stenny player, off whom it trundled into the net.

I don’t think Michael White would have fumbled that ball. He was in goal, as Onebrow pointed out, in the only two games where we’ve managed to get any points this season.

Grindlay doesn’t come for crosses – the defence is clearly unsettled; three of them had a go at him for staying on his line a few minutes after the goal, when we could easily have lost another – and his kicking from back passes is appalling.

Next up, the obligatory penalty against us at Ochilview. I thought Ben Gordon got there first, the ref didn’t. That all started when Andy Geggan had, I think Devlin, free in space on his right in a good position in their half but hit the ball too short, straight to a Stenny player. Promptly up the park, whistle.

Up steps Ross Clark. Remember him, Chappie?

Stenhousemuir could have gone home then. We still wouldn’t have scored.

The next one you could see coming from halfway through the move. The defence was posted missing from the crossball and Ross Clark (remember him, Chappie?) drilled it home. Grindlay stood still.

We played a bit better in the second half but Stenny had taken their foot off the gas.

We keep finding ever more bizarre ways of conceding goals. The fourth was a complete joke. Nugent had the ball covered. All he had to do was play it, back to Grindlay (OK, maybe not) or out the park, or pass to Ben Gordon, or even turn and go upfield. Instead he just stops running and a Stenny player breezes past him – the report on the club website says as if out of nowhere but he was clearly visible all the way – rounds Grindlay and pops it in.

The Stenny announcer gave the man of the match to Ross Clark. (Remember him, Chappie?) He did score twice, I suppose, but (a much slimmed down in appearance – Ed) Stevie Murray had a good game for them, too. Remember him, Chappie?

Stenny won’t have an easier three points all season.

Until they play us again of course.

It’s past time for Jim Chapman to consider his position. The players either aren’t playing for him or just aren’t good enough. He’s got rid of, or let go, the more robust characters. There was nobody on the field inspiring the team to get into the game. A complete lack of fight, competitiveness and effort. Where’s Chissie when you need him?

During the week Gordon Strachan was noble enough to fall on his sword. Sadly, I don’t expect Chappie to have it in him do the same.

Oh; and Grindlay must go.