Let's be brutally honest. The hard core masochists among us probably know how this all ends.
Anyone foolish or fatalistic enough to invest emotionally in Scotland watching ought to have learned our lesson long before now. After a double billing of pride inducing heroics at Hampden Park, Steve Clarke and his players have hauled themselves to within 90 minutes and a single point of Nations League promotion.
And, more importantly, a safety net play-off place for the next Euros. In fact, to take 12 Nations League points from a possible 15 is a fairly spectacular return by anyone’s standards let alone Scotland’s. So it’s hardly a plot spoiler to suggest that the party might be about to be pooped tomorrow night in Poland. We have been in this movie before after all. It was Ukraine who blocked our path to the World Cup Finals in June and now, tomorrow night, these same warriors in yellow shirts will be standing in our way all over again.
Motivated once more way beyond any kind of sporting norm. Should they crush Scotland’s spirit in Krakow, for the second time in four months, then knee jerk recriminations will come thick and fast. Clarke’s credentials will be called into question and some will call for the manager to be tossed aside as a consequence of another failed campaign.
And those malcontents should be frogmarched immediately back in time and forced to relive the blunder years of Wee Berti and ‘right f****** up for it’ Burley. Because if they can’t see - or are simply unwilling to acknowledge - the enormous progress that has been made under Clarke then they deserve to be strapped into a chair and reminded of what it felt like to be Scottish when we really did have a manager worth moaning about.
So, even if it does end in heartache all over again, let’s at least attempt to keep a bit of perspective where Clarke and his players are concerned. The result and performance they mustered against Ukraine on Wednesday night was as complete and as polished as anything we have seen from a team in dark blue shirts since Clarke took on the role.
In fact, the entire display was so satisfying and stylishly put together that it may have topped anything any Scotland side has offered up this side of the Millennium. By contrast, Saturday night’s win over the Republic of Ireland felt like a test of nerve and patience.
Having emptied the tanks three nights earlier, Clarke’s players looked flat and uninspired throughout a sluggish first half. But when the stakes were high and the chips were down, the man in charge was able to regroup, reorganise and send his men back out for a second half salvage mission which has led us all here, to this most tantalising of points.
Put it this way, tomorrow night’s game will be Clarke’s 40th as manager and if he can somehow defy all the odds which come with being Scottish and record yet another victory then it’ll be the 20th of his time in charge. That would leave him with a win rate of 50 per cent which, over the course of the last 50 years is just about as good as it gets.
His stats already surpass those of Jock Stein, Walter Smith and Gordon Strachan which puts Clarke in the most esteemed of company. But these numbers are also indicative of a team which is moving sharply in the right direction.
Let’s not forget, when Clarke first came into the job three and a half years ago his first remit was to add some much needed structure and defensive solidity to what was a rapidly sinking ship. He steadied it successfully even though there were times when he may have wondered where his next goal was coming from.
It’s worth highlighting here that, over the course of these last two Nations League ties, Scotland have registered a combined total of 38 shots. It’s no longer about plugging leaks and staying afloat in the name of self preservation.
On the contrary, this is a Scotland team which is designed to inflict damage on others. So, while Clarke’s hang dog demeanour might be unflinchingly dour, what he is creating with this group of players is actually anything but.
When they did finally click into gear against the Irish on Saturday they began moving the ball around with such pace and precision that there was only going to be one winner, despite falling behind to a sloppily conceded first half goal.
And if they can hit those high standards from the start tomorrow night then there is reason to believe that we might be in for a happy ending after all. As unusual and wholly un-Scottish as such a notion may sound.
Clarke, though, has more difficult decisions to make ahead of this one, especially as Manchester United’s Scott McTominay will have to sit it out having picked up one yellow card too many. With Ryan Jack, Billy Gilmour and Kenny McLean in reserve the manager is most certainly not short on talented midfield options.
While Gilmour would add creativity and composure to the mix, Jack’s more robust, defensive durability could tip the balance in favour of the Rangers man. Clarke will also have to choose between Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes when it comes to leading Scotland’s attacking line and both of these strikers have made a decent case for themselves over the last week.
Adams put in a herculean effort against the Ukrainians at Hampden before Dykes came off the bench to take his place and score with two late headers. The towering Aussie was then given the nod to start against the Irish and hardly put a foot wrong.
But, even so, it does feel like Adams was given most of Saturday’s match off in order for him to be ready to go all over again tomorrow night. With so much quality to choose from and such a cohesive sense of spirit underpinning his squad, Clarke stands a genuine chance of delivering something special.
If only we didn’t know better then now might seem like a perfect moment to start feeling excited.
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