Gordon Smith: We have to change our season to compete in Europe

IF you can’t beat them, join them.

It is a well-worn saying, but one which Scottish football should consider heeding as we assess where we are in terms of the European game.

Because, at the moment, we need all the help we can get.

Now I know we can’t use additional preparation as an excuse for Aberdeen’s Europa League exit at the hands of Apollon Limassol on Thursday night.

The Cypriot season runs from August to May – the same as ours in other words.

However, there was much to like about the performances of Rosenborg, both home and away, against Celtic.

On paper, the Norwegians should have been no match for our champions. Celtic have much better players in their team and a stronger overall squad.

Yet, despite the disparity, they put up a seriously good effort against Brendan Rodgers’ men, only losing out by the one goal in 180 minutes of football.

Why? Because they are 17 games into a league season which runs from March to late November, and up against a side who were still to kick off theirs.

It makes a difference.

After the goalless draw at Celtic Park in the first leg, James Forrest spoke of the opposition being match sharper, and of his hopes Celtic would be more at it in the return.

His logic was that the game itself, plus the friendly against Sunderland last weekend, would get them that much closer.

Which happily they were, and I say that because we need all the co-efficient points we can get.

Fans of all Scottish clubs should be cheering on all our representatives.

We don’t have far to look far for another example.

St Johnstone’s loss to Lithuanians FK Trakai didn’t grab anything like the attention that Rangers’ embarrassing loss to Luxembourg outfit, Progres Niederkorn, did.

It was, nevertheless, very much a disappointment in its own right.

Not least because Saints went down in the first leg at McDiarmid Park – a massive anti-climax for fans of the Perth club, who had been looking forward to the European campaign.

Again, though, our representative went into the tie with a big disadvantage relative to their opponent.

Because FK Trakai, like Rosenborg, kicked off their season in March, which effectively allowed them to take a run-up at the Europa League qualifiers.

I have long maintained a March-to-December season, or at least a winter break which encompasses both January and February, is the best option for the Scottish season.

I believe our climate is too harsh to play during those months. It is unfair to the fans.

Who can forget the humiliation Hibs suffered when they were trounced 7-0 by Malmo at Easter Road ?

Now I think we have to seriously look at switching when we play to give our teams an extra edge.

We need it. With Aberdeen now out – and the Dons definitely deserve credit for reaching the third round of the Europa League qualifiers for three seasons in a row – we are left with only Celtic.

They might fly the flag for Scotland in the Champions League group stages, they might not.

It will depend on how they get on against Astana, the Khazakstan champions.

If the last time they met is anything to go by, then they should be OK, the Hoops going through 3-2 on aggregate.

With the budget they operate on, and the momentum they have from last season’s undefeated domestic campaign, we have to think that will be the case.

Not just think, hope, because otherwise our only chance of watching the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich up close will be on the TV screens in our front rooms.