Mountains and Peanuts
Many years ago - don't know where, don't know when - someone I was with described a daunting task as the equivalent of pushing a peanut up a mountain - using only your nose.
As I watched Spain vs Scotland last night in Alicante - that thought came back to me.
And after the first Spanish goal went in - the terrible truth became all too clear.
Now we've got to push the peanut up the mountain twice - without reply - and in the hope that Spain just sit back and don't try to snatch the peanut away.
So the impossible dream was shattered in just five minutes - as the crisp passing and interplay of the Spanish team tore Scotland apart - before Silva swept the ball into the net.
Not that we played badly - in fact the Scots had their chances and could have scored more that just a consolation goal - towards the end.
Crazy as it sounds - the next campaign will raise the nation's hopes all over again.
The Scotland fans will get behind the team - the newspapers will talk up our chances - but in the end we're still talking peanuts and mountains.
As I watched Spain vs Scotland last night in Alicante - that thought came back to me.
And after the first Spanish goal went in - the terrible truth became all too clear.
Now we've got to push the peanut up the mountain twice - without reply - and in the hope that Spain just sit back and don't try to snatch the peanut away.
So the impossible dream was shattered in just five minutes - as the crisp passing and interplay of the Spanish team tore Scotland apart - before Silva swept the ball into the net.
Not that we played badly - in fact the Scots had their chances and could have scored more that just a consolation goal - towards the end.
Crazy as it sounds - the next campaign will raise the nation's hopes all over again.
The Scotland fans will get behind the team - the newspapers will talk up our chances - but in the end we're still talking peanuts and mountains.