Steve Clarke set to equal Scotland record - but has eyes on going one better

Both are Ayrshire men and both will have overseen 71 matches in charge of the national team after Clarke completes his duties against Greece at Hampden in a crucial World Cup qualifier on Thursday night at Hampden.

A win would leave the Scots well placed to qualify for North America next summer with just three qualifiers to go, including against Belarus on Sunday night. If Clarke can get over the line in what is expected to be his final qualifying campaign as manager, it would mean he has taken Scotland to three major finals.

Brown took Scotland to two though this included a World Cup in 1998, which remains the last time the country qualified. This is Clarke’s second attempt to reach a World Cup as manager though he was left out of both 1990 and 1998 squads when a player, the latter time by Brown.

Asked what his former manager might have to say about him emulating his number of games as manager, Clarke was in no doubt. “He would probably point out that I hadn’t qualified for a World Cup, of course he would!” he said.

“He would probably also point out that he should have dug his heels in and stayed a little bit longer and then maybe he would have been the guy who’d been to three tournaments and set a different benchmark. Listen, Craig was a good man. He was part of the squad when I went away as an Under-19 player down to Mexico (for the World Youth Championship, in 1983). He was part of that group. We have known each other a long time. And I did forgive him for not picking me when he was national team manager….”

Brown passed away two years ago at the age of 82 but is fondly remembered as a Scotland manager. The time is coming to consider Clarke’s own legacy and World Cup qualification would represent, as SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell stated earlier this week, “the last piece in the jigsaw” when it comes to the current incumbent.

Clarke: A draw wouldn’t be a disaster

Greece are one of the teams standing in Scotland’s way in Group C. While it might be must-win for the visitors, who lost 3-0 at home to Denmark in their last outing, Clarke hesitated to call it this for Scotland. “Just try and pick up as many points as we can,” he answered, having been asked about the requirement against Greece. “Obviously three (points) would be better than one. Would one be a disaster? Probably not but we want to win both games. We have given ourselves a great platform with the first two away games and we want to cement that by winning the two home games.”

Scotland’s chances might hinge on Konstantinos Karetsas’s health status. The 17-year-old Genk wunderkind, who scored when Greece beat Scotland 3-0 at Hampden in a Nations League play-off as recently as March, was reported to be suffering from illness but has made the journey and trained at Hampden on Wednesday night.

Greece manager Ivan Jovanovic said he will give the winger every chance to prove his fitness although won’t take any chances with him. “We want to rely on players who are 100 per cent,” he said. According to Greek media, Karetsas is unlikely to start.

As for Scotland, Max Johnston has been brought in for cover at right back. The Derby County player featured in both of last month’s games against Denmark and Belarus but was left out of the original squad this time around.

Clarke explained that Johnston's late addition was to “pad out” the squad a little. “He was unlucky not to be in the initial squad,” he added. “I had a good chat with him on the phone and explained my reasons and he accepted them.”

Clarke reported that everyone was fit and well, although some had struggled with “little knocks and niggles” at the start of the week following Sunday matches. One of the interesting debates is over who plays in goal, though it seems certain to be Angus Gunn despite being third choice at Nottingham Forest. Craig Gordon, who hasn’t played at all this season for Hearts and has just recovered from injury, is on standby. Asked if he had made up his mind about who plays in this position, Clarke said he had. “Would I like to share it? Probably not,” he added. He did say Gordon was “ready to go if required”.