Scotland - 1 Sweden - 4: Scottish football can effectively enter a new era today, with Walter Smith due to be interviewed at Hampden Park for the vacant manager's position, though last night's surrender in the capital was enough to give anyone second thoughts over taking on that role. As an illustration of the scale of the task awaiting Berti Vogts's successor, this was horribly ominous.
Humiliated in Edinburgh by a rarely impressive Swedish side devoid of their better players, the depression which settled unnervingly during the German's reign remains, the outlook as gloomy as ever. The Scots may have been youthful and energetic here, but what has become a customary second-half capitulation ensured this ended as a rout.
The home supporters had whipped up a chorus of "sack the board" before the break, aiming more spiteful chants towards the SFA's chief executive David Taylor. They greeted James McFadden's softly-awarded second half penalty, for a tug by Mikael Dorsin, with mock glee. Vogts may have gone, but the next incumbent will clearly inherit the disillusion lingering from his initial appointment.
Tommy Burns had selected his first and, most likely, his last Scotland side with no little relish, his rhetoric in the build-up having betrayed the impotence he had felt as Vogts's assistant.
"I don't think I'd want to be a number two again," the former Celtic manager had admitted, dismissing suggestions that he might be tempted to adopt a similar role under Smith.
The hosts were initially sprightly, young legs sprinting forward eagerly if for little reward. Barry Nicholson's snap tackle to win possession early on set the tone, the midfielder slipping Kenny Miller into space for the Wolves striker to check inside and curl a shot towards the far post which Magnus Hedman beat away.
Marcus Allback led the rout with goals after 30 and 49 minutes, before Johan Elmander and Fredik Berglund struck midway through the second half.
McFadden's consolation five minutes later did nothing to prevent a chorus of boos from greeting the final whistle.
SCOTLAND: Marshall; McNaughton, Murray, Anderson, Webster (Hammell 53), McNamara (Severin 63), Nicholson, Quashie (Hughes 90), Miller (Crawford 70), McFadden, Pearson.
SWEDEN: Hedman; Nilsson (Ostlund 62), Mellberg (Hansson 46), Lucic (Linderoth 82), Dorsin; Andersson, Alexandersson, Kallstrom, Wilhelmsson (Touma 77); Allback (Elmander 63), Berglund.
Referee: Jaroslav Jara (Czech Republic)
