It's supposed to have stopped hurting by now. But the deeper we go into Euro 2024 one thing becomes more and more obvious. The only true way for a Scotsman to enjoy watching the climax to this tournament is to forget that Scotland were actually ever part of it in the first place.
Failure to wipe this mere detail from the memory bank only results in a sense of heightened agitation and painful regret. It has become impossible, for example, to observe the heroics of teams such as Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Georgia, Austria and Switzerland without wondering how it might have been for us, if only our side had embraced this tournament in the same, adventurous manner.
Come to think of it, Scotland have succeeded in being just about the only smaller nation at the whole event which wilted and froze when the opportunity presented itself to punch above its weight for once.
While the rest of them looked upon these finals as the chance to put the foot to the floor, Steve Clarke kept the handbrake on as if he was terrified of the consequences of what might happen if he gave it a bit of serious welly instead.