THE imperative to don a hard hat is hardly unusual when it comes to Scottish football. But it was an invitation with a difference when organisers at Oriam, Scotland's rebranded national performance centre for sport at Heriot-Watt University, arranged for selected media to get an access all areas guided tour of the site yesterday. The doors of the £33m multi-sport centre won't open for real until August 2016 but a space age construction is fast emerging from the mud at Riccarton and thoughts are already turning to precisely how it might also transform Scotland's sporting landscape.

Before digging out the wellies and the hi-viz jackets, it was worth getting the disclaimers out the way. While Oriam, named after the Gaelic word for gold (but then you knew that) brands itself as Scotland's sports performance centre, some leisure pastimes are more equal than others around here.

Co-funded by Heriott-Watt University, the Scottish Government, sportscotland and The City of Edinburgh Council, this was always primarily envisaged as a state-of-the-art new playground for Scotland's national football teams, effectively a tartan-clad vision of St George's Park near Burton-upon-Trent, born from the Henry McLeish review. But there were winners and losers in the bun fight to become a bit part player. While other sports bodies specifically catered for with their own bespoke areas in the vision include the Scottish Rugby Union (the roof in the indoor centre is high enough that it would take a mighty sweep of Greig Laidlaw's boot to hit it), Scottish basketball, Scottish Volleyball, Handball and Scottish Squash and Racketball, all athletics and tennis get from the project is a nod to the adjacent land and a hope to include them in further expansion.

There is something for all athletes here, though, should they choose to drop in from time to time. Dropping in, perhaps, being the operative word. In addition to a specialist strength and conditioning suite, there is an advanced medical and rehab area which boasts a hydrotherapy pool with a built-in underwater treadmill. A deal is close with a hotel group for a four-star development across the road which will allow national teams and individuals from all sports to check in before checking out the facilities.

So bitter are some of the debates around the way forward for our so-called national sport that some would perhaps forego the science and insist the money was better spent on recreating red blaes pitches and 1960s tenement walls. But in truth, while it can never be a panacea, facilities like this can only help the round ball game north of the border recover its former lustre. The SFA have been closely involved throughout the process and only a few weeks back Gordon Strachan had a look around and spoke of how impressed he was by the facility.

"I know it looks good now but it will look better when people are actually using it," said Neil Gibson, Oriam's Director of Performance, Sport and Health, who was formerly an employee of Hearts. Dick Campbell's footballing son Ross is another high profile member of the team. "Football and rugby will be able use the centre but so will sportscotland and their institute of sport. They cater for a variety of individual athletes and squads and they will be using this on a day to day basis, whether it is the hydrotherapy pool or the rehab area, the strength and conditioning gym. In terms of sport across the board I hope it does have a big impact."

They may be caked in mud right now, but the pitches at this facility promise more bells and whistles than any previous Scotland manager has ever had at his disposal. Cameras will be trained, 24/7, 365 days a year, at the full size indoor pitch with 500 seats, not to mention the upgraded grass and synthetic pitches outside (where Hearts were still training yesterday) and the indoor sports hall which can accommodate 12 badminton courts, or three netball or basketball courts at any one time. With the information gathered online and the stats available immediately, by the time the players return to the dressing room after their session the coach would be within his rights to confront them with detailed scientific data on who didn't track back enough. Either that, or the Scotland manager could control the whole thing remotely from his family home in Warwickshire, stroking a cat like a Bond villain.

Who knows, it might even expose the old school Scottish footballer (if such a thing still exists) to a different peer group. It is nice to imagine football players comparing notes with rugby players and other top athletes on their strength and conditioning or diet routines as the nation attempts to encourage the next generation of footballers to exhibit the kind of professionalism which can make a difference at world class level.

"Most people get good at things because they practice them repeatedly," added Gibson. "This facility won't give them the motivation to do it, they have to do that within themselves, but it will be a conduit to allow them to do better. There was a line when St George's Park was built that it removes any excuse. We don't want to think about it that way. Not everyone will be a world beater but it does give them a good chance to try and get to the bit where their ability allows."

The building actually features two strength and conditioning suites, one of which will be open to the public, and showcases a blend of the old and new. The design, by Reaich and Hall Architects, includes one bizarre nod to the past, with the presence of a retaining wall, which is listed and cannot be demolished, running the length of the entry hall. While the abysmal recent weather has been a minor frustration - the roof panels cannot be welded into place by constructors Bowmer & Kirkland until a dry spell arrives - the project seems to be delivering on time and in budget. And that, at least, is one reason to take your hat off to the whole Oriam project.