THERE is a tendency in football for a team or an idea to become the flavour of the month when a bit of success is earned.

We all marvelled at the Spanish when their tiki-taka took them to World Cup and European Championship glory, while Barcelona were heralded amongst the finest club sides ever.

Then it was the turn of the Germans. We wanted our leagues to have the atmosphere of the Bundesliga and our teams to have the young talents of Die Mannschaft.

We’ve looked on with jealousy at the technical brilliance of Holland and the spirit of Iceland. We even tried to copy Northern Ireland by attempting to sign their boss.

Eventually, these fascinations fade away and everyone searches for the next philosophy to follow or blueprint to implement.

For some reason, it is rarely said that Scotland should look a bit closer to home, or just over the border in fact, for a bit of inspiration.

Comparisons between the domestic leagues here and in England are somewhat pointless given the huge disparity in finances.

But when it comes to the national side, the Three Lions have something that we haven’t for some time. In Gareth Southgate, they have a figure that has united a squad, a team and a nation.

The suggestion has been made in the wake of Alex McLeish’s sacking that Scotland should follow a similar route to England and promote from within their own ranks.

When the FA needed a replacement for Sam Allardyce, it was to Under-21s boss Southgate that they turned and the progress since has certainly been impressive.

The departure of McLeish isn’t a crossroads for Scottish football as a whole. It isn’t a time for calls to rip it all up and start again.

Instead, it shows the importance of leadership from the very top, of unity through the levels.

With all respect to Scot Gemmill and the work he has done with the youth sides in recent years, he doesn’t have the profile or the experience required to be Scotland manager right now.

It would be folly to think Scotland could make the same move as England and automatically end up with a similar transformation.

But there are lessons to be learned from the Auld Enemy in terms of Southgate’s approach.

McLeish has already done some of the work for his successor and there has been something of a changing of the guard in the international squad.

Where Southgate had to move the likes of Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney on, there will be no Allan McGregor, Scott Brown or James McArthur for the next Scotland boss to call up.

Southgate also had to put his faith in younger internationals and that belief has allowed the next generation, including players such as Jordan Pickford and Marcus Rashford, to establish themselves.

As the older statesmen fell away for Scotland, a new core of kids in the shape of Scott McKenna, David Bates and Scott McTominay rose to prominence under McLeish.

Big Eck won’t get the benefits of that work, but the next man at Hampden should. And his first task is to mirror arguably Southgate’s greatest achievement as he won the PR battle and the hearts of fans.

The 48-year-old is an engaging and interesting character and he ensured his players were more open and honest in public, more accessible to media and supporters last summer.

While McLeish never had the Tartan Army on side, Southgate now has English punters believing in him and his players. That, of course, is mainly down to results but the character and personality of the manager is hugely important.

If the fans trust you, you will be given time to make the necessary changes in terms of personnel and philosophy. Rather than finding a system that suits certain players, Scotland need a shape and style that is effective and the team is then built around the manager’s beliefs.

If that means, for example, Kieran Tierney misses out because Andy Robertson plays ahead of him at left-back, then so be it.

Crucially, the players must buy into the system and the coach. Southgate has not only made England a better team, he has made them a side players want to play for.

If the next Scotland boss can achieve that, he is off to a good start.

AND ANOTHER THING

THERE is always a danger when managers start touting themselves for jobs or they let it be known that they are interested in a vacancy that they are just using the opportunity to get their name back out there.

If that is the case with Slaven Bilic, then so be it. He isn't the first and he won't be the last to take advantage of a bit of publicity when out of a job.

But if it isn't, if the Croatian really is serious about succeeding Alex McLeish as Scotland manager then he is the biggest name and the stand-out candidate.

The 50-year-old looks like the kind of coach players will want to play for, a figure fans could really rally round and get behind.

If the Scottish FA want someone to put bums on seats at Hampden in June, then Bilic is the man.

But the question is whether the Hampden board can speculate to accumulate when it comes to a boss that won't come cheap.

If Ian Maxwell ever gets to sit down with Bilic and his representatives, it is clear who would hold all the aces.

Scotland could do with someone of Bilic's experience and personality in the dugout, but the former Croatia and West Ham gaffer doesn't need to take the first offer that comes his way after leaving Saudi side Al-Ittihad.

The SFA are counting the cost of a succession of failures on the international stage and when you factor in the pay-off for McLeish and his staff and the fact the game is without a main sponsor at present, it al paints a fairly tricky financial picture for the Hampden board.

If Bilic wants the job, then Maxwell can't afford not to give him it. The issue is whether the SFA can actually afford to give him it.