History shows World Cup hysteria is not good for Scotland

So Scotland’s World Cup warm-up games over the last week did not set the heather on fire. But, especially after the Japan game on Saturday, there was no need for fans to boo. Yet some did.

Too much World Cup hysteria as early as April is not good. The country needs to keep a lid on expectations.

I write as a victim of Argentina 1978, a summer where an entire country thought we would be champions of the world, only for a generation of Tartan Army fans to suffer life-long PTSD as a result.

Back in ’78, the manager Ally MacLeod had talked the team up so much, we all believed his claim that “I can’t seeing us coming coming back without a medal”.

As it turned out, the team were back before the postcards.

There was a bizarre “victory parade” send off at Hampden which ended with the team leaving the stadium on an open-top bus for the drive to Prestwick Airport, during which their entire route was cheered on by adoring fans.

A month later, they touched down back at Prestwick to a tiny crowd and a chorus of boos.

Of course, back then the whole UK media had their eyes set on Scotland, as we were the only home nation taking part.

In the lyrics of Andy Cameron “England willnae be there “cos they didnae qualify”.

No pressure, then?

The build-up this time has been more measured yet still some Scotland fans thought it fit to boo the team off at full-time in a largely meaningless friendly match against Japan.

Let’s get this into perspective. Japan are no mugs. They currently stand over twenty places above Scotland in FIFA rankings, sitting at 18th compared to our 43rd.

Their squad includes players plying their craft at all the top European clubs in England, Germany and Spain.

Indeed, if one looks at the impact Japanese players have had at Celtic in recent years, with Kyogo Fururuhashi, Daizen Maeda and Rio Hatate consistently the top-rated players in Scotland.

No surprise, given that Japan’s domestic J League is on a par with the Scottish Premier League. Yet, of that trio, only Maeda was in the squad,

They recently beat Brazil 1-0. On Tuesday they beat England 1-0 at Wembley. Great news for the Tartan Army. Either Japan are brilliant or England are dreadful. Talk about a win-win scenario?

Anyway, no reason to boo yet. Let’s wait for the real action to start.

It’s implausible to think we could lose our opening game to Haiti, but I’ll still be up at 2am watching it live. At home, I stress.

There is no way I am going to a pub at that ungodly hour, especially since it won’t be full time until 4am.

And I certainly won’t be going to the official Fan Zone, which will not not be in a central location like Princes Street Gardens or a venue like Murrayfield or Ingliston. But the Gyle.

Yes, a car park in an atmosphere-free shopping centre At 2am? Then getting a tram home at stupid o’clock? Only to wait for ages in town for the first bus home?

Regardless of the score, that’s a very valid reason to boo at full time. If you’re still sober enough.