Rangers boss Walter Smith admits even he is staggered by how well former Ibrox gaffer Alex McLeish has taken to managing Scotland.The Rangers boss quit the Scotland job at the start of the year after a return to Ibrox proved irresistible.

He had given the team a decent platform on which to build their Euro 2008 campaign, but the best was still to come.

Smith believes it has been a "fantastic achievement" for McLeish to keep Scotland on course for next summer's finals, with the win in France last month fuelling hopes of an appearance in Austria and Switzerland.

Smith said: "The opening games are maybe a little bit easier to handle than the other ones.

"Scotland got off to a good start and then the game against France at Hampden was a big test and we won that one, but then we lost to the Ukraine away.

"So Alex was coming into a situation where he was taking the job in the knowledge that he had to continue a run of decent results and at international level that's always difficult.

"You can't speak highly enough of the way that he has handled it since he has taken over; I think he has handled it absolutely magnificently.

"As well as the win in France, he has handled every other game he has been in charge for in the right manner because they were a difficult balance to achieve, in terms of having to attack and win matches and not leave yourself too open against international sides of a really good standard.

"He won the first game and he got us up to 18 points and I thought 18 points was a terrific achievement for Scotland to get in that section, let alone anything else.

"Alex managed to achieve that total with four games to go and then the victory in France I think is one of the best victories that our country have had."

Smith steered Scotland to their first win over France in the qualifying campaign, last October, and McLeish's side completed the double in Paris last month thanks to James McFadden's 30-yard strike, sending them top of Group B.

They will defend that position on Sunday, when Ukraine are the visitors to Hampden.

The main European focus for Smith has become the Champions League, but he took delight in seeing former Gers boss McLeish lead Scotland to their famous Parc des Princes triumph.

Smith told the League Managers Association's website: "It was a fantastic win for him and I think it's been a fantastic achievement that Scotland are sitting on 21 points in a situation where we have three games to go, albeit that the three games to finish with are very tough games."

Smith's Rangers side includes a number of the key cogs in Scotland's team, such as captain Barry Ferguson, Lee McCulloch and David Weir.

That trio command years of experience, but 59-year-old Smith is confident the emerging generation of players are the country's best for years.

"We are now getting a number of younger players coming through," he said.

"Berti Vogts had a very awkward situation to take over because the Scotland squad lost an awful lot of players because of their age and we didn't really have the players who were ready to fill that at that time.

"Two or three years later, I feel we now have a better level and a lot of the guys that are coming in and playing are playing exceptionally well, not just at international level but at club level as well, and I think that is helping everyone.

"I still think that within the game in Scotland that there is a realism that we are not among the bigger countries, but I think what we have done more than anything else is bring back a bit of respectability both at international and at club level."

More Football News from TEAMtalk