What now for Scotland as Clarke enters final chapter?

Three 100 and sixty 5 agelong days ago, Steve Clarke's Scotland strode retired astatine Hampden Park, their past auf wiedersehen earlier they went disconnected to springiness Germany, Switzerland and Hungary what for astatine Euro 2024.

By nan clip they vanished their farewell connected nan backmost of an uninspiring - and astatine times chaotic - 2-2 draw, those successful nan stands could astir apt show what was astir to unfold complete nan adjacent fewer weeks.

They had seen it each earlier astatine nan erstwhile Euros. They had bought nan T-shirt and nan sticker album.

A twelvemonth on, that emotion lingered successful nan Glasgow aerial again. Against a bang mean Iceland, Clarke's Scotland were meek, anemic and bleak.

The snarling Scots who bloodied nan noses of Spain were obscurity to beryllium seen. No whiff of nan streetwise bunch who suckered Croatia and Poland wrong days of each different past November.

Another nighttime astatine Hampden has near much questions than answers.

Clarke whitethorn person hauled Scotland to 2 awesome finals, but location person been immoderate existent earthy moments of siren that person brought a dose of reality and gravity to it all.

This was nan latest one, a sucker correct betwixt nan eyes. "Don't get cocky boys, remember, you're Scotland, you don't suffice for World Cups. Down you go."

Qualification for nan 2026 world showpiece does not commencement until September for Scotland, but this was meant to beryllium nan first measurement towards it.

Instead, nan Tartan Army are entitled to wonderment wherever Clarke's squad is going.

It took until an hr aft full-time connected Friday for nan Scotland caput coach to look to springiness his position connected what had conscionable unfolded.

As ever, Clarke remained level successful his reside and mood.

There was disappointment astatine a lacklustre start. There was sympathy for intelligibly confidence-stricken goalkeeper Cieran Slicker, who was plunged into nan debut of his nightmares aft Angus Gunn's early departure.

There was a low-key dream that adjacent clip - Liechtenstein connected Monday - will beryllium better.

In fairness, it could not person been a full batch worse. Scotland were unimaginative successful beforehand of extremity and porous successful defence against nan world's 74th-best team.

Slicker - Ipswich Town's back-up who has yet to play a convention crippled - will beryllium cursing his sloppy kick-out seconds aft coming connected that led to nan opener. He will besides nary uncertainty beryllium replaying goals 2 and 3 that evaded his grasp.

But to laic each Scotland's failings astatine nan doorway of a 22-year-old making an unexpected debut would beryllium grossly unfair.

This was a Scotland squad - containing 2 Serie A champions, a Coppa Italia last hero, and a Premier League victor among others - who could not conjure capable to flooded an Iceland squad who mislaid 3-1 to Kosovo astatine location successful March.

Yes, it was a friendly, but an siren is going off.

Three months ago, nan Scots were shellacked 3-0 astatine location by Greece, halting immoderate benignant of momentum built from 3 wins connected nan spin.

But, successful truth, Clarke's broadside person travel up short much often than not successful caller times, moreover if performances person sometimes merited more.

Four wins from their past 21 games. Twelve defeats successful that time, 22 goals scored and 42 against. Losses astatine location to Northern Ireland, Finland, Greece and now Iceland.

It does not springiness disconnected nan consciousness of a Scotland squad who tin conscionable get nan occupation done. Of a squad that is moving forward.

"If you spell backmost only a very short play of time, Steve Clarke could do nary wrong," erstwhile Scotland striker Steven Thompson said connected BBC Scotland.

"This is simply a defeat, astatine home, to a weaker federation than ourselves and questions will beryllium asked. When you spell into due World Cup qualifying, these performances won't beryllium tolerated."

Thompson is correct astir that, but wherever are Scotland nether Clarke?

Undoubtedly, nan erstwhile Kilmarnock and West Bromwich Albion head has overseen nan brightest spell for Scotland successful position of qualification since nan 1990s. Two European Championships person been reached, aft all.

However, a hollow emotion was near aft some finals, fixed really overmuch of a whimper nan Scots went retired pinch connected each occasion.

The novelty of simply being location had worn disconnected arsenic Germany's 5th extremity deed nan nett successful past June's torrid opening crippled successful Munich.

A World Cup still eludes Clarke, who has said location is simply a "75% chance" he will not renew his woody pinch nan Scottish FA aft adjacent summer's finals.

A speedy scan of societal media tells you immoderate are clamouring for that to beryllium a 100% chance. And now. But is that logical aft a friends defeat?

Clear, logical reasoning and a shot instrumentality aft a bad conclusion seldom spell manus successful hand, but these friendlies are not without meaning aliases consequence.

Scotland now person a cluster of players bully capable to compete successful a qualifying group containing Denmark, Greece and Belarus. The problem is, would you instrumentality your owe connected them getting nan occupation done?

Scotland striker Lyndon Dykes and erstwhile guardant James McFadden some said post-match astir momentum and its importance. Lose successful Liechtenstein and Clarke's broadside are going into their opener successful Denmark connected nan backmost of 3 defeats.

"I deliberation Steve Clarke will admit that it's not bully enough," erstwhile Scotland defender Willie Miller said.

"I don't spot him changing successful immoderate measurement his support for nan players, but you've sewage to beryllium honorable pinch nan fans, pinch everybody, that that's not acceptable."

In reality, it is improbable thing will hap successful Liechtenstein that prevents Clarke from being nan man to effort to navigate Scotland done a qualifying campaign. Although that sentiment mightiness beryllium revised aft different defeat.

He should person capable in installments successful nan bank, though, and location will beryllium capable desire from him to beryllium nan man to get Scotland to a World Cup for nan first clip since 1998.

But, by Clarke's ain admission, we are apt entering his last chapter. Friendlies aliases not, really he handles nan coming days - and really his squad extremity this world model - could play a cardinal portion successful defining his bequest arsenic Scotland boss.

It is each astir momentum. Clarke and Scotland request to find it - and fast.