I for one am sick of the headlines and opinions that this current upturn in the fortunes of Scottish Clubs in Europe is as a result of the feelgood factor instilled by Walter Smith whilst in the Scotland post!
Now no one can argue that Smith worked wonders with the national squad but the press appear to be declaring all history prior to Smith taking over the national side as null and void! It would appear that the are turning Wattie into the Scottish football equivalent of Pol Pot and declarating the day he took over the post as year zero!
Now the basis of this logic in its simplest form is this, the national team is performing well, therefore the domestic teams are also performing better due to the ‘feelgood’ factor inspired by Smith’s Stewardship of Scotland!
This is flimsy and simplistic logic at best, and is easily contradicted. Why did this ‘feelgood factor’ not assist Scottish teams in Europe in the past when the National team was performing at is best and vice versa? Since when is a co-relation between domestic an International football so clear? Why does this logic only apply to Scotland, as it doesn’t seem relevant in terms of any other nation in Europe?
Does that make any European victories whilst Bertie Vogts was in charge even more spectacular? I think not.
I am, of course, over simplifying the terms but that is the best way to describe how ludicrous the notion is! This is made all the more crazy by the well-known fact that the only European Coaches Walter has a proven track record with come from Parks of Hamilton!
If Celtic do get a lenient ‘sentence’ in "Didagate" we will all know who to thank, Walter Smith and his feelgood factor!
Thanks Walter, where would we be without you?
Yours in Celtic
Clydebuilt