It is not known if Scotland faced a surplus baggage fee when they made the most sobering of homeward journeys from Helsinki on Tuesday night.
But the weight of regret on the plane home would have been substantial.
There were tears, of course, as the realisation of what Scotland allowed to slip away on Tuesday night became clear. Just as there were tears at Hampden when the Republic of Ireland nicked a place at the World Cup at Scotland’s expense too.
If sobbing was amongst the criteria for qualification, Scotland would be on the plane every time.
It was Finland this time, perennial qualifiers for the Euros, whom Scotland came a cropper to this week.
And while it is increasingly inevitable that Pedro Martinez Losa will carry the ultimate can for Scotland’s failure, there are also questions to be asked of a squad who have an abundance of generational talent and experience and yet who seem to falter whenever the heat is on.
There have been sports psychologists introduced to the squad to help navigate such games, there have been team bonding meetings with coloured cards charting emotions and feelings, there has been an embracing of children into the camp. There have been all manner of facilities to try and get Scotland over the line and back to where the squad ought to be.
This was a team who went into the play-offs on the back of an unbeaten year, with a sequence of results stretching to eight unbeaten with seven victories. They were not shy of confidence, or of goals.
Caroline Weir was not the only visibly emotional player in the aftermath of the defeat, a defeat that had seemed to be in the post as soon as Scotland set out as though they were the away team at Easter Road last Friday night.
The Real Madrid midfielder suggested that the players had given it everything as they looked to get themselves back amongst the big time for the first time since 2019. Claire Emslie could barely get the words out as she struggled to offer a summation in the immediate aftermath of the defeat.
Former Scotland goalkeeper Gemma Fay said that there is no identity within Martinez Losa’s squad.
There can be no doubt that some of the calls made by the Spaniard were head-scratching. Taking top scorer Martha Thomas off at Easter Road as Scotland badly needed a goal was one.
Weir on corners and throw-ins another. Her deeper deployment within the team, too, seemed baffling given what Madrid get out her in a more advanced position.
Then there was the comment about Finland being more used to the frozen pitch in the opening minutes of the second leg when they emerged with the bit between their teeth…even Ian Wright felt it necessary to pass comment on that one as news of Scotland’s failure rippled south of the border.
Martinez Losa is not without culpability. Equally, though, the players also have to share some of the responsibility. Too many have been found wanting when the pressure has been on.
As a collective, there is ample talent within the squad that they should be beating teams like Finland – three places below the in the latest FIFA World rankings.
The limp defeat across two legs has left Scotland staring at the stark reality of a third successive major tournament passing them by. The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the next opportunity that they have to be back on a major stage.
By that time, it will have been eight years since Scotland were last involved in a significant Championships. In the time that will have unfolded between then and now, the difference in standards across women’s football is difficult to overestimate.
In short, while others have improved and developed Scotland have regressed.
Martinez Losa was introduced as Scotland failed to build on back-to-back qualification for the 2017 European Championships and the 2019 World Cup. Having failed to make it to the European Championships after that appearance in France in 2019, Martinez Losa took over from Shelley Kerr with a very clear remit; get to the World Cup in 2023.
An average Republic of Ireland side put paid to that at Hampden.
That Republic of Ireland side won’t be at this summer’s Euros after Wales beat them to their place which underlines the progress that others are making while Scotland kick their heels.
A change of manager before the Nations League campaign gets underway in February seems likely.
But there is a wider change of culture that needs to happen.
AND ANOTHER THING
If the first team at international level are struggling to make it to elite level, there are signs that there is a substantial body of work going on at youth level.
The women’s under-19s are currently ranked 15th in Europe while the under-17s are ranked third.
It augurs well going forward although will not add any balm to current wounds.
AND FINALLY
Celtic will play their final Champions League home game on Wednesday when they take on Real Madrid at New Douglas Park.
Elena Sadiku’s side have found it a fairly sobering environment to be in – they have yet to take a point from their first appearance in the tournament.
There was a telling comment from Sadiku this week, however, when she suggested that being in the Champions League put Celtic on the map – inside and outside of the club.
