DON'T FALTER OVER WALTER

TOMMY BURNS has always spoken with a lot of truth and conviction about Scottish football.

I agreed totally when he warned a few years ago we were in danger of becoming another Irish League - these days, you could argue we're even worse.

Now Tommy has warned the SFA to get their finger out and secure Walter Smith on alonger-term contract as Scotland boss.

Apparently, Walter's current deal expires at the end of this European Championship campaign and there have been no moves yet to offer an extension.

It doesn't surprise me because the quality of people in executive positions in the SFA is very poor and their record is there for all to see.

They should have moved before now but they have dithered and I hope for the sake of the national team they don't pay the cost.

Down the line, if a job was offered to Walter in the English Premiership or even the Championship I definitely think he would give it serious consideration.

I'm not one to defend the SFA, especially when I think of the number of suits I could have bought from Slater's with all the money I handed over in fines throughout the years.

We have a difficult group and qualification for the Euro 2008 finals in two years remains a long shot with countries such as Italy, France and Ukraine in our section.

Could the SFA be scared of the flak they would receive for handing out a contract when we might only finish second bottom of Group B?

But it's more vital there is continuity in our coaching set-up and that Walter is allowed to continue the good work he started 18 months ago.

Our national team were so bad when he succeeded Berti Vogts it was easy for a skilled coach such as Walter to come in and make immediate improvement.

The next step, which we're taking now, is far, far harder because we don't have a Kenny Dalglish or Graeme Souness around whom we can build our side.

Quite correctly Walter is bringing through younger players but as he knows only too well from our time together at Dundee United, it is a long-term process.

He deserves the chance to deliver over more than one full qualifying campaign, not least because there aren't any better placed candidates around to replace him -not unless Sir Alex Ferguson has a brainstorm and decides to leave Old Trafford.

It is an important week for the national team and there's no doubt we must secure two victories against the Faroes and Lithuania and bolster our goals tally at the same time.

The Lithuanians will present more of a challenge than the Faroes and will certainly have the lowdown on the Scottish team from all their players at Hearts - I only hope Vladimir Romanov doesn't sack their manager before the game on Wednesday.

I expect the Faroes to be big, game triers at Celtic Park and we've got to look to turn their defence at every opportunity.

If we play the ball down their throats at every turn they'll eat it up so we've got to get width, get crossing and cause pandemonium in their box.

It wouldn't surprise me if Walter goes with Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd up front, with James McFadden playing just off, and there's exciting potential in that partnership.

Miller's lack of goals recently has been aworry but his workrate is fantastic and his attitude is second to none.

Boys is on an amazing run of goals and he has already proved he can translate his club form onto the international stage.

It's only right Paul Le Guen is urging him to work harder on other aspects of his game, including his link-up play, but it should never be to the detriment of his goal-scoring ability - and it won't be.

I'm confident Scotland can get the two victories we need over the next six days and boost our morale still further with a clutch of goals in the process.

We'll need to go into the game against France at Hampden on October 7 on a high - you can deal us all in on that.

Taken from the Daily Record