THERE was a gallus swagger about those charged with the running of Glasgow in the immediate aftermath of the Commonwealth Games.
And why not? "Fortress Glasgow" was on the world stage, had pulled off a world event with aplomb and had wind in its sails.
That Cock o' the North thing might have irked some neighbours but then it always does. Resentment, even enmity, is quite a political dynamic in west of Scotland local politics.
But then something happened. The Union may have been saved but Glasgow lost its part of the referendum battle. Within just six weeks, the city's brand has been left severely tarnished.
For its next trick Glasgow needs its neighbours on board. The City Deal, essentially £1 billion from both the Westminster and Scottish governments for capital projects over 20 years, aims to put the Glasgow region on a par with major UK metropolitan areas.
Even pre-referendum some councils were apprehensive about becoming involved. "Swagger" was mentioned, as was "annoying". But they lent support, it being essentially a cash giveaway.
I asked someone close to the project if there is enough unity of purpose among the ferrets in the council sacks to deliver this ambitious programme.
"It's more the business cases. How do these stack up when you consider some of the pie-in-the-sky proposals?"
The first project detail has recently had a public airing; a bridge connecting Yoker on the western edges of Glasgow with Renfrew on the southern banks of the Clyde at a cost of £50m.
This was the one proposal singled out by the source as, at best, questionable. (A plan for a publicly subsidised ferry connecting both districts was scrapped in 2010 due to costs.)
Some Labour folk in outlying councils were peeved that the Commonwealth Games did not deliver the benefits for the wider Glasgow area they had expected.
What price resentment that the City Deal faces accusations of becoming a vehicle led by Glasgow for the benefit of Glasgow?
And what chance now, those neighbouring councils may ask, has Glasgow of delivering the £1bn vision when it cannot even deliver a No vote?
Earlier this year the city led a rebellion at local authority body Cosla, promising it would soon unveil the complexion of its breakaway rival.
Tellingly, Labour-led North Lanarkshire stayed, while Inverclyde, which joined the walkout with Glasgow, voted yesterday to rejoin. As yet, Glasgow has not disclosed its alternative model.
Meanwhile, senior figures in local government accuse the city of being more interested in flirtations with UK cities like Manchester than relationships with counterparts in Scotland, while sources within Glasgow warn of an oncoming period of internal and financial instability.
There are real risks Glasgow could soon have political island status, that swagger becoming a hirple.
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