THREE years ago, Steve Clarke dragged himself to Armenia for the last game of a long season with his reputation hanging by a thread.
Tomorrow night over in Liechtenstein, history repeats.
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Had he failed to deliver in Yerevan off the back of a 3-0 dismal drubbing in Dublin that had the Tartan Army howling for blood, he might not have been around to lead us to the Euros in Germany.
Now? Let’s not kid ourselves on that what had been a meaningless friendly in sleepy Vaduz hasn’t become every bit as crucial.
Let’s not pretend there isn’t a growing feeling that he’s not the right man to take us into this autumn’s World Cup qualifiers.
As I wrote in this column back in June 2022, there comes a point for every Scotland manager — from Wee Berti to Big Eck, from Burley to Levein and more — from which there’s no coming back.
That Clarke dragged himself back from the brink of that point once, a 4-1 win over Armenia leading to the best run of his reign, did him huge credit.
But to be back in the same place now is hugely worrying.
Or, at least, it is to you and I as punters.
Whether it means that much to the man himself?
Well, let’s rewind to a statement he made before our Nations League play-off against Greece in March, when he responded to a question about his future from my colleague Robert Grieve.
He said then he was “running down my contract”.
Not putting all thoughts of stepping down on hold until the job’s done.
Not leaving his future in the hands of SFA blazers.
Not being 1000% committed to the dream of leading us out on the biggest stage of all.
But running down his contract.
I’m not the only one those words jarred with at the time, nor can I be the only one whose head they’re swirling around after how the Greeks dismantled us and how shambolic we were in that 3-1 loss to Iceland on Friday night.
You’d hope he didn’t mean those words they way they came across.
But since no one at the SFA has clarified the statement and given that he has passed up plenty of opportunities since to do so personally, we can only presume he did.
If so, it suggests — as did three months of self-imposed radio silence in the wake of our disastrous German campaign — that Clarke is very much in charge of if and when he walks away.
Which, for me, leaves the SFA painted into the same corner over who leads us into the World Cup qualifiers as they are over who played in goals against Iceland.
Late on Friday night Clarke repeated his claim that he’s been warning his bosses for months about us being light between the sticks, what with Craig Gordon pushing 43 and no outstanding successor breathing down his neck.
In the spaces between his words, the message seemed obvious: we ended up with quaking rookie Cieran Slicker taking the flak for a chaotic defeat because the Blazers sat on their hands.
On this, I’ll make three points.
Scott McTominay’s career
Born in Lancaster on December 8, 1996
Joined the Manchester United youth system aged five and signed his first professional contract in 2013
Made his Premier League debut against Arsenal in May 2017
McTominay went on to win Carabao Cup and FA Cup with Man Utd
Made 255 appearances and scored 29 goals for the Red Devils
McTominay joined Napoli in August for £25.7million
Born in England, he qualified for Scotland through his dad who’s from Helensburgh
McTominay was called-up by Scotland in March 2018 and has gone on to become a huge Hampden favourite
He was part of the squad at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024
He won his 50th cap while playing against Germany at Euro 2024
McTominay has scored some huge goals for Scotland, including an injury-time winner against Israel and his famous double in the 2-0 win over Spain in Glasgow
One, that if a manager has enough clout to decide when his time’s up, he surely has enough to TELL his bosses to sort something this important.
Two, that finding players should be HIS job in the first place, not theirs.
And three?
That if he was struggling for cover after losing Gordon, Zander Clark and Liam Kelly, he could have called in a Ross Doohan, a Scott Bain or a Jon McCracken as cover for Angus Gunn and Robby McCrorie.
Not someone who, at 22, still hasn’t even played a senior league game.
Instead, he spent Saturday chasing Doohan for an occasion that suddenly takes on the importance of a qualifying-group shootout.
That’s not a good look for anyone involved.
At a time when Clarke himself talks of a dressing room full of champions, what must McTominay and Gilmour, Robertson and McGinn, Ferguson and Tierney be thinking as they haul themselves to one last camp after draining campaigns only to find we’re one pulled hamstring from playing backy-in goalies?
Only they can tell us that.
But let me tell you what I’m thinking — that Steve Clarke is in danger of losing his grip on Scotland and of ruining the legacy most of us wished he’d leave behind.
Sure, there’s an argument that after taking us to our first two international tournaments in a generation, his legacy should be assured.
But I’ll counter that with two words: Ange Postecoglou.
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Fact is, if a manager can be emptied a fortnight after winning his club’s first European trophy in 41 years, it can sure as hell happen to anyone.
Fact is, if any manager started next season with four wins in 21 games, he’d been gone before the 22nd kicked off — and that’s Steve Clarke’s current record.
Fact is, when Scotland were flying, no one bothered that Clarke lived in London and was, to all intents and purposes, working part-time.
But now, you look at Craig Bellamy moving his family home to Wales and working full-time out of their FA headquarters and you think:
Shouldn’t WE be entitled to expect that commitment?
Sure, there’s an argument that with obvious candidates like David Moyes and Derek McInnes now off the market — though I’d love to know Darren Fletcher’s thoughts on the job — changing bosses now would maybe be more hassle than it’s worth.
But that still shouldn’t mean the man in possession being allowed to dictate his own terms.
Listen, I want Scotland to win this final game of the season — and win it well.
Come the qualifiers, I then want Steve Clarke to do what he did three years ago by going on a run that propels us to a major tournament.
There’s a harsh reality about tomorrow night in Vaduz, though.
A truth that’s as unavoidable as it is unpalatable.
It’s that back in 2022, most genuine fans still wanted Clarke to pull through and kick on.
Whereas today, an awful lot really couldn’t care either way.
That’s sad. But maybe it’s what happens when it feels like you’re taking what we all think is a privileged job for granted.
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