Scotland found themselves on a hiding to nothing as they comfortably beat Israel at Hampden on Friday night, a win that put them top of Group B in their quest to claim a European Championships play-off spot.

The game itself was always going to be secondary to the politics that surrounded it. The Israeli team did not appear intimidated by the protests that met their arrival; their team bus could not be described as making an inconspicuous arrival as it headed into the Mount Florida underground car park parading a huge Israeli flag on one of the windows. 

Protests were inevitable and, despite the security, there was an air of inevitability about one protester making his point by chaining himself to the goalpost, an action that delayed the game kicking off by half an hour.

Just as inevitable was the SFA copping it for the game going ahead with accusations that they were spineless when it came to making a stand, that missed an opportunity to make their voice heard in the midst of what is going on in Gaza.

Ultimately, however, the real finger of blame isn’t towards Hampden and those who were compelled to fulfil the fixture but rather to the governing body who have kicked the decision of Israel’s position down the road.

UEFA have allowed Israel to play in their competitions while there was also a pause for a legal assessment will be carried out before a call is made on whether there is agreement to suspend Israel from FIFA.

The Palestinian federation (PFA) had called for a vote to exclude Israel at FIFA’s congress in Bangkok earlier last month, a call which was supported in the room by the Jordanian FA.

With no affirmative action, Scotland had little choice but to play the game. Failure to do so, or to fulfil Tuesday night’s game which will be played in neutral ground in Budapest, would have meant forfeiting the match – and handing Israel a 3-0 win.

Over the course of the two games this week that would have amount to six points. Aside from it weakening Scotland’s chances of banking a play-off spot for the European Championships it would also have furthered Israel’s case of making it, assuming they would remain free to compete.

Furthermore, if there is a decision made next month and Israel find themselves suspended it will feel like a travesty for Scotland that they have had to go through the ringer this week.

Goalkeeper Lee Gibson found herself an awkward spokesperson this week when she was put up to speak to the media from the team’s base in Pinatar. Regardless of personal thoughts on the matter, the players ultimately had a directive to play and get on with it.

With no fans inside the ground, Scotland were penalised from the failure of ownership on Israel’s involvement in UEFA competition. It was their visitors who should not have been invited to play in the tournament rather than the onus on Scotland to make the call. 

AND ANOTHER THING

Premiership clubs made the call to vote out plastic pitches in the SPFL top flight on Friday, a move that will be welcomed by players and observers alike.

The hated surfaces have long been a bone of contention with players baulking at the unforgiving nature of them while fans feel that it disrupts the fluency of the game.

So far, so good.

Interestingly, though, when it comes to the SWPL, there are no top flight clubs who play regularly on grass. There are brief deviations with clubs invited to use the full stadium for games occasionally across the course of the season – Celtic had two home games at Celtic Park in the final weeks of the season – while Rangers used Ibrox twice in the campaign.

With an exceptional amount of ACL injuries within the women’s game it is hard not to question whether or not the repeated exposure to astroturf has a pivotal role in what is a significantly high percentage of women’s long-term injuries.

It may not be the exclusive reason but ultimately the bottom line has to be that if these surfaces are not deemed good enough for the top flight in the men’s game, we need also to be looking at what their role should be in the SWPL. 

AND FINALLY

Jo Potter has crossed the border this season to spearhead Rangers’ drive to set the tone on the SWPL.

The former Lioness has seen first-hand just how the women’s game has grown in England where it has advanced way beyond anything that Scotland could cope to compete with.

Potter was within a couple of minutes of delivering a domestic treble in her first season at Rangers; only a last gasp Amy Gallacher goal gave Celtic the title on goal difference.

But as she celebrated the Scottish Cup win at Hampden last weekend – in front of an audience of fewer than 5,000 – she offered an engaging assessment of what the Scottish game has to do to reach out and capture more support.

Just as she was getting into her stride, however, there was the equivalent of a loud buzzer and a ‘time up’ that came from the sidelines, an abrasive interruption that stopped one question abruptly in its tracks and refrained from allowing a topical conversation from taking further root.

If there is a genuine appetite to grow the game it is vital that there is an appreciation of the relevance of such conversations – and the way it which they can be utilised further down the line to shine a light on what still needs to be done.