As the Scotland national team crashed to an embarrassing 3-0 defeat in Kazakhstan, the inquest is already underway.
For over 20 years discontent has been bubbling under the surface of the national side. Scotland hasn’t qualified for a major tournament since 1998.
But despite some spirited qualification efforts in the two decades between then and now, recent campaigns have promised little and delivered even less.
But how much of an impact has the fall of Rangers had on the veritable circus show on the national stage?
Scotland has had four qualifying campaigns since Rangers went into administration, all of them falling short.
The country’s premier footballing institution has been stifled from producing talent for the first team, for whatever reason. Something made all the more glaring by the fact the Ibrox side have no representatives in this most recent squad.
This can’t be good for Scottish football. Granted, Allan McGregor took it upon himself to hang up the international glove, much to the disappointment of the Scotland backroom staff.
But more than just impact the standing of the game here on the pitch, the Rangers debacle has generated legions of in-fighting off it.
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Can we start talking about the football yet?
A quick glance at social media and you’ll see murmurs of Masonic handshakes and Alex McLeish’s EBTs. Many miraculously blame Rangers for the country’s shortcomings.
Somehow, the unseen blue hand is still shaking its way into boardroom decisions across the national game.
This despite many Rangers fans turning away from Scotland, some even indulging in the country’s latest defeat.
The booing of Rangers players by Scotland supporters will probably do that. Many are still hurt from the events of 2012 and feel the club and fans were strung up.
This squabbling, political nonsense behind the scenes has resulted in an abject lack of unity amongst the Scotland support. No one trusts anyone. And the country is weaker for it.
How much of an impact has the fall of Rangers had on the Scotland national team? It’s hard to say exactly.
But it certainly hasn’t helped.
