World NewsScotland No Longer Brazil Nuts |
Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith admits the "disappointing" turnout for Scotland's friendly against Argentina has dampened his enthusiasm for bringing Brazil to Hampden.
Smith had pledged to attempt to attract the five-time world champions to Glasgow if the public turned out in numbers for Diego Maradona's international managerial debut - but only 32,492 fans were in attendance.The SFA insist they did not make a financial loss from the game, despite Smith's previous assertion that a 35,000 crowd was needed to break even.
But the prospect of Brazil playing at Hampden for the first time since 1987 now appears distant.
"I have to be honest and admit I was disappointed with the crowd as I'd hoped the public would support the game more," Smith told Record PM.
"I made the example of Hampden selling out Take That tickets within hours but obviously it's the women who are holding the purse strings.
"We can reflect on this exercise and I would have to say that I would need to think twice about repeating it by bringing a nation such as Brazil here in the future.
"I don't think there was enough of an appetite for the game against Argentina so I'd be wary of making that kind of commitment again.
"This was never a profit-making exercise, although when everything is taken into consideration, I am pleased we didn't take a financial hit."
Copyright (c) 2009 Press Association
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