The mythical man who dispenses satisfactory results is nursing another wound. He has had his hand bitten off again. The 2-0 result in Toftir was exactly what Alex McLeish would have asked for to finish the season.

He can now look forward to the decisive autumn/winter campaign with the satisfaction that he has, at least, met expectations in his early days as national coach. Victories over Georgia and the Faroe Islands and an away defeat to Italy ensures McLeish can spend the summer knowing there is no ferment in the media and among the support.

Scotland are settled firmly in a place challenging for qualification, but how can that be achieved and what are the chances?

McLeish has a team capable of qualifying for the final stages of a tournament, but not from this group.

The Scottish side has matured in recent matches, though there are sizeable question marks over the defence. Whatever happens, this will be David Weir's last campaign and Graham Alexander and Gary Naysmith are showing signs of wear and tear, mostly in the area of declining pace.

Craig Gordon, the goalkeeper, has endured a difficult season and emerged with his reputation enhanced. He was unconvincing against Georgia at home, but was routinely splendid in Toftir. He should be the national goalkeeper for some time.

The midfield is looking, at least, highly competent. Barry Ferguson, Darren Fletcher, Scott Brown, Paul Hartley, Lee McCulloch, Gary Teale, Kevin Thomson, Nigel Quashie and Shaun Maloney ensure there is depth and versatility in personnel.

Finally, there may be a glimmer of promise at the sharp end of the side. Kris Boyd and Garry O'Connor may have much to learn, but they are robust, can score goals and were admirably willing in awkward circumstances against the Faroe Islands. Steven Naismith should also add to McLeish's striking options of Kenny Miller, Craig Beattie and Derek Riordan.

These players are willing volunteers, but the mission is formidable. It would be a major achievement for Scotland to finish third in Group B. For qualification, it is simply obligatory to beat Italy at Hampden on November 17, and even that will not be enough unless Ukraine have been dismissed from contention by the time they leave Glasgow on October 13.

The first is wishful thinking bordering on delusion, the second may be merely fool-hardy. However, it is possible with a healthy dose of optimism to see Scotland garner 25 points, achieved by dint of defeating Lithuania as well as Italy and Ukraine at Hampden, drawing with Georgia away, and losing to France in Paris.

This would be a remarkable sequence, equalling anything Scotland has done in inter-national competition.

Yet if Italy beat France, Lithuania and the Faroe Islands at home and draw with Ukraine away, it could still see Scotland come up short. Italy then would have 26 points.

A glance at France's fixtures suggests they will qualify with ease. Victories over Scotland and Lithuania at home and the Faroe Islands away will take them to 27 points.

These predictions, of course, can evaporate with their first clash with reality. They do, however, give an indication of the difficulty of the task facing Scotland in the new season.

Hope cannot be gained when looking at the most formidable rivals who calmly await an improvement in playing resources after the summer break. Francesco Totti has made another of his Delphic utterances, suggesting he may deign to play against Scotland, presumably if they stock the correct colour of M&Ms in the dressing room and lay down the appropriate red carpet. It is more straightforward for France. The break will give Patrick Vieira, Louis Saha and Thierry Henry the chance to heal.

They will be welcomed back, but France have hardly faltered in their absence. Franck Ribery and Samir Nasri have revelled in the extra responsibility offered by the absence of the big names. Nicolas Anelka, too, is more than an interesting back-up. And David Trezeguet will be back.

It will be a tough series of matches for McLeish and Scotland. It is to their credit, though, that the run-in to Group B still holds some intrigue for Scots. But the mythical results man will have to lose a series of hands for Scotland to prevail.