The boy from Banff played more like Brazil (circa 2014 not 1970)

Alex Salmond went into this week’s debate with a reputation as a charismatic favourite. A bit like Brazil in this year’s World Cup he was playing at home in front of a passionate crowd. Most people, himself included, expected a fluent and flamboyant performance.

After all he had a history of big wins in the past and was the bookies favourite to come out on top. But just like the boys from the Copacabana his confidence spilled over into an arrogance which was his undoing. Brazil conceded more goals than any other team in the World Cup and it felt a wee bit like that on Tuesday night. Just like Brazil, the boy from Banff was ineffective in attack, weak in defence and ended up going down to a famous defeat.

Instead of the anticipated cheers there were jeers. Just like the Brazilians, Alex Salmond was booed by his countrymen and women.

But really what did he expect? They’ve had eight decades as a Party, seven years as a government and two years in the campaign to work out what currency an independent Scotland would use.

Now time and patience are running out for those at the top of the Yes Campaign. I’ve seen it this week during a four day, twelve stop tour of public street corner meetings in the North of Scotland.

Nationalist hecklers are no longer singing the First Minister’s praises. Instead they shout at me ‘It’s not about Salmond!’ Increasingly that’s a wish rather than an assertion.

Salmond went into the debate needing to lift his campaign up but ended up letting them down. Why? Because behind all of the quarter-baked ideas, Alex Salmond is running a political campaign based almost entirely on wishful thinking.

Most of the big moments have come and gone and yet the SNP have failed to transform patriots into nationalists. So instead they have tried to turn this into a referendum about David Cameron. Alex Salmond was desperate to debate with Cameron and then while facing off against Alistair Darling was determined to turn it into a debate about Cameron. Most Scots know that Mr Cameron can be gone in a year but that independence would be forever.

At the Estadio Mineirao the Brazilains were booed as they went down 7-1 to Germany. On Tuesday night Salmond was jeered as he couldn’t fend off the reasonable questions from the audience. It must be galling for a nationalist to be booed by an audience of his compatriots.

Maybe for the next debate, Mr Salmond, we can hear a little less about aliens, pandas and rocks melting in the sun. Maybe we could hear a little more about the issues raised with me during my hundred street meetings – things like the pound, pensions and the economy. And while he’s at it, maybe next time the First Minister will listen to the opinions of Scots who do have a vote instead of talking endlessly about a Prime Minister who doesn’t. Just a thought.

In life pride often comes before a fall. The SNP MP Pete Wishart will surely be regretting his prediction that the debate would be a greater slaughter than Bannockburn. In one sense he may have been right. But he was wrong about the loser.