Scotland's coefficient has received a minor boost following Celtic's qualification for the group stages of the Champions League, but significantly more positive results are required to give the nation any hope of regaining two spots in the competition in future years.
Five SPL sides played a combined 14 qualifying round matches in the 2012/13 season, with only Neil Lennon's side reaching the group stages of a competition.
Their four wins from four games against HJK Helsinki and Helsingborg brought a total of four points to the 2012/13 total, with a further four bonus points added on for making it to the last 32 of the Champions League.
Dundee United, Hearts and St Johnstone all contributed 0.5 points each for managing a draw in one of their two Europa League qualifying round games.
All of the points gathered by Scottish sides, however, is divided by the total number of participants the nation had in European competition this season to give an average.
With 9.5 points gathered to date, the country's 2012/13 coefficient stands only at 1.900, making Scotland 29th best with regards to club form this campaign.
As a comparison, Scotland amassed 2.750 coefficient points in 2011/12, 3.600 in 2010/11 and 2.666 in 2009/10.
With Celtic now moving into the group stages, and taking into account the division by five for all points gathered, a win which counts two points for Celtic will count 0.4 towards Scotland's average and a draw, which gives one point, will equate to an additional 0.2 points.
An argument therefore can be made that a reduced number of Scottish teams in Europe, with four taking part in 2013/14, is required for any major coefficient gains to be made in the short term.
The coefficient in 2012/13 will be added to the calculation for the 2013 UEFA Country Ranking, which is used to determine how many European slots a country has in the 2014/15 season.
The total amounts of points gained this season are added to those gathered across the previous four campaigns, giving a final total which is then placed in comparison to the coefficient of all 53 competing UEFA nations in descending order.
As a guide, Europe's top 12 performing nations were given automatic entry into the 2012/13 Champions League group stage, with varying amounts of other qualifying spots based how high up the access list countries are.
Nations ranked 13-15 are afforded two places in the qualifying rounds, as was the case with 15th placed Scotland this season.
Comparing the number of coefficient points needed using the five-year average to be a top 15 nation based on the figures which determined this season's places, Celtic would need to amass circa 65 coefficient points to lift Scotland back up for 2014/15.
Regrettably, such a figure is impossible to attain. Chelsea, for example, gained 30 points for England when they won the Champions League last season.
To match Scotland's best ever average total in recent times, the 10.250 gathered when Rangers racked up 23.5 coefficient points on their run to the 2007/08 UEFA Cup final, Celtic would need to add another 24 points to their total this season.
Nevertheless, two wins in the Champions League group stage would deliver 0.8 points and, if progression to the Europa League knockout competition can be achieved, 0.2 points would be added for making it through every round.
Progression to the knockout stages of the Champions League would add one point to Scotland's coefficient, with 0.2 added for continued participation through each round until the final.
The amount of qualification places available in the 2013/14 season have already been determined, based on an average of Scotland's coefficient between 2007/08 and 2011/12.
As such, Scotland will have one Champions League place, with the SPL winners having to go through three rounds on the Champions Path.
2012/13 UEFA coefficient points breakdown
Champions League group stage (all amounts divided by five in brackets)
- Two points for a win (0.4 for Scotland)
- One point for a draw (0.2 for Scotland)
- Five points for reaching last 16 (one for Scotland)
- One point per round reached thereafter (0.2 for Scotland)
Europa League knockout stages (all amounts divided by five in brackets)
- No points for making last 16 through Champions League elimination
- One point per round reached thereafter (0.2 for Scotland)
- Two points for a win (0.4 for Scotland)
- One point for a draw (0.2 for Scotland)
