Leader comment: Gordon Strachan and his boys are making us smile again

IS it just me or have you noticed it too?

Scotland manager Gordon Strachan

There seem be more people wandering about with a smile on their face, more animated talk around the office kettle and water cooler and somehow more of a sense of wellbeing in the air. I put it down to the events at Hampden Park on Thursday night and the return of some genuine optimism - after quite a lengthy absence - about our national football team.

Okay, I know that the sport bores some people silly, and there plenty of others who - quite reasonably - simply can’t understand why so many of us get so excited about it. But Scotland is a sports loving country. And watching dramatic showdowns like Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Slovakia is more than just an entertaining passtime. Events like that tend to inspire youngsters to get involved and play the game themselves.

The thing about the return of the feel good factor to Scottish football is that it might be terribly shortlived. If Scotland can’t repeat Thursday’s success against Slovenia tomorrow night, then the dream of World Cup qualification will be over - again. But for now let’s hope - and thank Gordon Strachan and his team for making so many of us smile.