End is nigh for Vogts

Virtual Replay: 3D animation of Iversen's goal-line block

Virtual Replay: 3D animation of Iversen's penalty for Norway

By Clive Lindsay

McQueen leads quit calls

The almost apologetic strains of "The Battle O'er" marched the dignitaries down Edinburgh's Royal Mile for the Queen's opening of Scotland's new, controversial, long-delayed and vastly over-budget Parliament.

It could have been just as appropriate an hour's drive to the west as Scotland's weary Tartan Army trooped home after witnessing another example of our declining football fortunes.

"They think it's Moldova" was the most striking Sunday morning headline after the 1-0 defeat to Norway in Glasgow left victory on Wednesday a must if Berti Vogts' side are to retain any realistic hope of qualifying for the World Cup.

The Scottish press is all too quick to talk up a crisis, but this time you have to believe the hype.

Defeat at Hampden on Saturday surely means that Vogts has 90 minutes of competitive football left to save his job as national manager.

The German has had to endure some exaggerated claims about his lack of coaching ability.

Even a strong nation like his own cannot be led to European Championship triumph with a clueless coach at the helm.

Yes, some of his experimentation in friendly matches since he took over Scotland more than two years ago has appeared somewhat bizarre.

Eight wins in 29 matches has led to an all-time low in the world rankings, but five wins out of the 12 competitive games is not a disaster.

Vogts has lost the experience of players like Paul Lambert

Vogts took over at a time when the old guard like Paul Lambert, Craig Burley, John Collins, Colin Hendry and Ally McCoist had reached their sell-by date.

He has had to plunder the English lower leagues, blood young talent before their time and use players not even first choice for their clubs in order to fill the talent gap.

And it is difficult to argue, except perhaps with the surprise inclusion of Richard Hughes, that Scotland's starting line-up against Norway was not the strongest available.

There appeared nothing wrong with the preparation either. Confidence was high among the players, the pre-match fireworks and pageantry had the capacity crowd's collective chests swelling with pride.

Rock star-turned politician Donnie Munro recited "Flower of Scotland" and the scene was set for a day of national celebration in Glasgow as well as the capital.

The players responded with plenty of typical passion and a fair amount of skill.

But, whereas under Craig Brown we had a stubborn bunch not easily floored by even the world's heavyweights, we now have a group of kids easily pushed aside by playground bullies like a Norwegian side determined to kick their way to victory.

Yet a couple inches of leather and Hughes' scrambled shot could have been over the line instead of kicked off it and given Scotland the lead, possibly victory.

The Tartan Army departed in silence knowing their team had given their all, but another defeat in Moldova on Wednesday and the clamour for change will surely force the Scottish Football Association to wield the axe.

Even a draw will leave Vogts a lame duck manager. It would be like Labour retaining Tony Blair as leader even if they came to realise that he could not win the next election and would be retiring after it.

First Minister Jack McConnell said, rather optimistically, that the parliament had "come of age in a country whose time has come".

The time has come for Scotland's young footballers to come of age, or time will have come and gone for their manager.