Brendan Rodgers doesn’t believe that all is lost with the Scotland international team.
The Celtic boss was at Wembley last week to witness the 3-0 defeat from England and pick up on the reaction to that result.
Since the defeat Gordon Strachan and the SFA have remained silent while supporters and the media demand answers.
There’s little doubt that Scotland’s World Cup hopes are dead and buried but there are deeper issues that need addressed as the national team finds itself drifting below Lithuania and Slovenia in the rankings.
In less than six months Rodgers has completely transformed Celtic but the hoops boss admits that change will take longer at international level.
Rodgers said: “I looked at the Scotland game the other night and I thought ‘there is the basis of a good team’.
“There is some speed in the team, there are some good technical players and my experience up here is that the boys will give their all.
“If, tactically, you can put them out in a way that they can press and run, you can get a lot from them. Also what you have missing in a few areas of the midfield is a tactical and technical deficiency.
“It’s going to take a bit of time. I know it’s difficult but I have always been optimistic. How
can you improve? How can it be better?
“Those are the questions. Why has it got to this stage? And what can we do about it?”
With an extensive coaching network and various initiatives to improve the game the SFA should be able to provide Rodgers with some answers to his questions.
While Scotland slide down the rankings Rodgers is rebuilding Celtic’s co-efficient and looking to engineer a win over Barcelona or Manchester City to secure a Europa League spot in the new year.