THERE is a feelgood factor in Scottish football when our teams do well in Europe and that has been the case this week as Celtic progressed in the Champions League and Rangers and Hibernian got through in the Europa League.

I did feel a wee bit sorry for Aberdeen. They went toe-to-toe with a side that finished seventh in the Premier League last year.

But Sean Dyche was very fulsome in his praise of Aberdeen and results like that get our game noticed, not just in England but further afield as well.

It has been a long time since we have had two or three Scottish teams putting a European run together and getting into the group stages.

Obviously I hope that Rangers can get past Maribor in the third qualifying round of the Europa League and we will see what awaits them after that.

But it would be a real boost for Celtic and Hibernian if they can progress as well and it would paint our game in a different light.

When you look at the quality of manager we have here now, I think it is probably the highest that it has been across the board for some time.

Steven Gerrard and Brendan Rodgers are clearly the highest profile but we have got managers doing good jobs at clubs up and down the country.

This is the best crop of managers that we have had for a long time and hopefully that helps to raise standards and levels across the board.

It is the easiest thing in the world to have a dig.

But our teams performing in Europe helps put Scottish football back on the map a bit and hopefully that upward trend continues in the coming years.