THERE seemed to be a lot of surprise about Aberdeen’s win over Croatian side HNK Rijeka and, at the risk of sounding wise in the aftermath of the event, I actually had every faith in Derek McInnes going into the game.

Granted, I don’t think we expected the scoreline to be as emphatic as it was but this is exactly what we want to see from our teams when they go and compete on the continent. For so long we have watched many of these games through splayed fingers and I don’t think there is any question that the timing of the ties makes it very tough to negotiate them successfully.

But I have been delighted to see Aberdeen and Celtic give themselves a right good chance of progressing. Inverness I think were always going to find it tough going against Astra because I know they are very well-rated team; the Romanians defeated Lyon at this stage last season in the competition.

However, although their task is not the easiest, there is only one goal in it and Inverness have a massive incentive in terms of trying to overcome the deficit since it would set up a game against West Ham in the next round if they were to prevail.

Of the four Scottish teams who were competing in Europe for us this season, you would ideally love to see them all get through. Realistically, though, if we were to settle for two, it would be a decent return.

St Johnstone will feel they could have done better and going down at the first hurdle is tough to take. But although we are all sore over the fact that there are so many qualifiers for our teams to endure before they reach either the Europa League or Champions League properly, I would argue against anyone who would propose a reduction in the number of Scottish clubs competing in Europe in order to bolster the co-efficient.

The only way we will move up the ratings is with our teams collecting points by winning and drawing against their European opponents but I don’t agree with the argument that the fewer "lesser" teams we have competing, the better the chance we have of building on the co-efficient and making life easier for the teams who do land a European place.

As a coach with Ross County, it is the carrot of a European place that can really define your season. It is a prize that so many of the smaller clubs work towards and if you get a place on merit then you are as entitled as anyone to go and give it your best shot.

Aberdeen have shown the way with that performance on Thursday night. For many of us who are in the game at coaching level it is easy to see just how much progress the Pittodrie side have made as a team. They pushed Celtic a considerable distance last term and I think they are good enough to progress in Europe – although a trip to Kazakhstan is not an easy one to negotiate at all.

But for the main part, we should think that we will have at least two teams in the next round of qualifiers and it is not a bad return.

Celtic ought to have enough to prevail against Stjarnan on Wednesday without too much trouble. I was there when Motherwell played them last year and it is a like a junior ground. I really cannot envisage that Celtic will have too many issues getting passed the Icelandic side.

The penalty spat between Stefan Johnsen and Leigh Griffiths at Celtic Park was something that Deila is quite right to hammer. And I have to say I was impressed by the fact he very publicly put Johnsen, his fellow countryman and one of his star players, firmly in his place with his post-match comments. He had every right to be narked by it.

As for Griffiths, if I was in his shoes I would have had no qualms about making my feelings perfectly clear in the privacy of the dressing room. If you are the penalty-kick taker then you take the penalty – no ifs or buts. I am quite sure that Johansen would have left the ground on Wednesday night with a flea between his ears because it is something Celtic cannot afford to have happen again. It happened between John Guidetti and James Forrest in the League Cup final and it does no-one any favours. I suspect it will be the last time we see it from Celtic players this season and there really is no call for it.