GORDON Smith has applauded Scotland's players for agreeing to forgo their win bonuses unless they reach the World Cup finals.
The Scottish Football Association chief executive has managed to renew the arrangement that was in place for the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.
A formal agreement has yet to be reached on precisely how much the squad will receive should they quali
fy for the 2010 finals in South Africa, but Smith could not be more pleased with the players' attitude to the issue.
"I think the players deserve great praise for this," he said. "It's a fantastic attitude to have among a group of players that they will only accept a bonus they have earned through genuine success.
"That money can be spent in other areas, rather than paid out to the squad with each succeeding game."
Smith insists no one will be more delighted than he if he is eventually forced to cough up the cash.
He said: "Qualification for the World Cup finals, of course, would ensure further revenue for the association – and for the players who have taken the national team there.
"Only results will decide the outcome of the campaign, but I feel we can qualify."
Scotland's campaign began with a demoralising 1-0 defeat in Macedonia yesterday afternoon, and they travel to Iceland on Wednesday.
Group Nine also contains Norway and European heavyweights Holland.
Smith added: "Holland are obvious favourites, but the fight for second place is on.
"Remember, too, that Italy only made sure of second place in our European qualifying group in the very last match of the series."
Smith has taken personal criticism over the order of play in qualifying, most specifically in arranging the upcoming double-header of away matches.
But Smith explained he went into the fixtures meeting with his counterparts from Scotland's Group Nine opponents determined to follow the advice he had been given.
He said: "Before that dates meeting, I consulted with Craig Brown, Walter Smith and Alex McLeish, all very experienced managers and all three previously in charge of the national team.
"All agreed that the first thing they wanted to avoid was a summer match in June, a very awkward time for Scotland, right after the end of a long domestic and European season.
"And the first ideal they all wanted was to have the last match against Holland – and at home.
"We managed both objectives. The only thing we lost out on was that Macedonia would not agree to play their first match against us in Glasgow.
"There was no movement on that, and so that's how it is. Otherwise, I think we've done pretty well out of the arrangement."
The full article contains 458 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
