Leader: The North Face of football challenges

The nation’s breath is bated. We’re collectively on the edge of our seats. The tension is becoming unbearable. The Tartan Army is on tenterhooks. Yes, Scotland are preparing to take on one of the giants of world football, the mighty… em … Liechtenstein.

Coach Craig Levein’s team of titans will be psyching themselves up for today’s game in Vaduz – yes, we had to look it up, it’s the capital – just two points behind the Czech Republic and hoping for a runners-up slot and triumphal entry into the European finals.

After all, what could be more testing than to take on the team of a nation (and we use that term loosely) which boasts (and we use that term very loosely) a population amounting at the last count to a grand total of 35,236 – about the same size as Airdrie?

Without striker Kenny Miller and with doubts over captain courageous Darren Fletcher, with or without his tonsils, the answer is that there are few sporting challenges which are more daunting than this, the North Face of the Eiger of football matches.

By comparison, once they have conquered such illustrious opponents, the task facing Levein’s footballing legionnaires – defeating Spain – will be a walk in an Alicante park. We’re on our way with Craig’s army, we’re sure.