THERE are lies about football that make the government's statements on Iraq seem positively plausible. There are two whoppers, at least, about international football.

The first is that it is every footballer's ambition to play for his country as often as possible.

This may have applied when Big Jim Holton bit opponents' legs and the dentally-challenged Joe Jordan could inflict a nasty suck, but it is hardly the case today. Put it this way: Max Boyce has played more friendlies forWales than Ryan Giggs.

The modern footballer sometimes regards internationals as the footie equivalent of a Friday afternoon of double maths followed by double physics. They plunk them regularly and finally retire from them while in peak physical condition.

The other big lie is international football is the pinnacle of the game.

Commentators and managers, who should really know better, mutter that it is the top level, that it doesn't get any tougher, that if you can do it for your country etc, etc.

These sentiments contain enough hogwash to cleanse a thousand pigs.

The international game can attain a rarefied level: witness, say, any last eight game in a major tournament. But, in general, it falls far below the Champions League for individual skill, technique and collective teamwork.

If you doubt this, ask yourself this (and remember I'm listening):

could Steven Pressley play for a Champions League team? The defence rests, as indeed it often does when the bearded wonder plays.

The simple truth is this: thousands of players are picked for international squads. The Champions League is exclusively for the top end of the playing market.

These two lies, about players' attitudes and the level of international football, conspire to make good news forWalter Smith.

The Italian team his side will face tonight will be skilful and committed.

But Walter has two truths on his side. First, the attitude of his players will be unimpeachable. Secondly, the playing field will not always be at such a high level.

The morale in the Scotland camp when Berti Vogts was in charge seemed as ebullient as a meeting of Depressives Anonymous on a lonely Christmas Day. Smith has subtler skills in that department.

The playing system, too, will be attuned to the skill levels and the mental aptitude of his players.

Presumably, the game plan will be comprehensible.

One of the more sapping experiences of watching Scotland under Vogts was to witness the squabbles that broke out among defensive players before spreading to the touchline where Berti, or sometimes poor Tommy Burns, was asked to sort it all out.

It was the football equivalent of dusting down two toddlers before allowing them to get on with it.

Smith, too, will be realistic about just what he has got at his disposal.

The former Rangers and Everton manager is used to dealing with players of high technical ability such as Paul Gascoigne and Brian Laudrup. But there is another truth.

Smith was also adept at getting the best out of players of a more humble vintage.

The Rangers team that achieved most in Europe in recent times (the side that was a game away from the 1993 European Cup final) was built on solid virtue rather than sublime ability. They were good players, some of them very good players. But collectively they were more, much more than their individual parts. For example, was Scott Nisbet honestly just 90 minutes away from the highest honour club football can bestow?

Yup, he was.

At the best of times, with all players available, Smith has the makings of a team. Jackie McNamara, Gary Naysmith, David Weir, Barry Ferguson, Darren Fletcher, James McFadden, Nigel Quashie, Paul Dickov are all, at least, Premiership class performers.

These players form a team that is certainly not good enough to get within one game of a Champions League final. They will form the majority of a side that will not win in the San Siro tonight.

But they should be able to survive in international competition, perhaps even poaching the second qualifying place in a future group.

This may not seem much, but to the bedraggled Tartan Army, it would be more than enough.