I HADN’T seen it coming, but there was no chance of avoiding Faddy Day on Tuesday, the day it appeared, that much of Scotland stopped to rave about James McFadden’s goal against France in Paris ten years ago.

You must remember it; that fantastic strike (and it was a super shot) that gave Scotland an unexpected win over a French side that a year earlier, had reached the World Cup final.

I won’t deny it, I leapt off the couch when it hit the back of the net, a split second before Stephen Hendry (on the other end of the phone), did the same. The difference between analogue and digital I’m told.

But, did we really need commentators, actors, managers, players, extras from Braveheart and the White Heather Club to appear on video, extolling the greatness of one goal while completely missing the point, namely, that it didn’t get us anywhere near the Euro 2008 Finals in Austria and Switzerland the next summer?

Give me peace - or give me an own goal, a dodgy offside or a penalty, blatantly won by cheating, any kind of goal that would take us to a major finals tournament.

Tuesday was an absolute masterclass in spin, deflecting all attention away from the fact that for 20 years we have been rubbish. What next, stamps?

Frank de Boer wasn’t favourite to win the sack race for nothing and on Tuesday made way for 70-year-old Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace.

I’ve always felt sorry for Hodgson, as many forget the great job he did taking Fulham to a European final.

However, a great many were caught up on his age. “He should be retired, tending his garden,” said on irate caller one the wireless. I wonder if he’d be as hostile to Sir Alex Ferguson?

You will remember in last week’s diary I touched upon the rather testing exercise that is man-by-man markings, and how Zinedene Zidane and his 1998 World Cup final display was the perfect 10.

I therefore took an added interest in just how L’Equipe might mark those involved in PSG’s 5-0 thumping of Celtic in the Champions League on Tuesday evening. And boy, do they set their bar low, or is it high.

Two Celtic players - Stuart Armstrong and Neymar’s favourite Scot, Anthony Ralston - registered just 2/10, while another seven bagged three. But amongst the PSG team, Adrien Rabiot top scored on 8, but Thiago Silva merited just 6.

Not easily pleased at L’Equipe.

Almost under the radar, Scotland have galloped up the FIFA World Rankings, jumping 15 places in the last month after those wins over Lithuania and Malta.

That’s us up to 43rd, our highest rating since 2014. Heady days indeed, although some way behind the highest place nation from these islands, Wales, at No.13 pop pickers, two ahead of England.

Usually I steer clear of the rankings. But no, what some might consider good news deserves a mention.

Unfortunately, I’m not one of them. For me, a measure of where you are in the world is easily calculated; if you make a finals tournament, then you have been successful. If you don’t, rankings matter not a jot.