After matchday two in the second-tier competition, Celtic sit 28th and Rangers 32nd in the 36-team league phase. Both in automatic elimination places.

Much has been made of the European expectations of Celtic this season given their gutsy showing – though ultimate narrow defeat – against Bayern Munich in the Champions League knockout round play-off in February, while Rangers have appeared at home in the latter stages of the Europa League season after season – the peak of course, the final in 2022.

Such runs and results have contributed to the overriding recent feeling in the nation of regression.

But do the rest see it that way?

“The perception is not as dramatically great or bad as we Scots might think,” Rae said.

“I think sometimes we like to do a bit of navel-gazing, which is right, we are Scots and we do like to sometimes be overly critical of our own football.

“But I don’t know that around Europe there’s a feeling that, ‘oh my goodness, Scottish football is so much worse than it was three or four years ago’.”

Rae added the prospering reputation of international players at non-Scottish clubs could aide the attitude towards our game, highlighting yet another magic night for John McGinn and his Aston Villa side.

Thankfully for those fans left feeling flat after Thursday, an international break with Scotland is just round the corner to save them.