For a number of years, the seemingly interminable international breaks were little more than a frustrating series of interludes for Scotland fans, disrupting the domestic season, and preventing club sides from getting any sort of proper momentum until almost halfway through their campaigns.
There were occasional highs for the national side, but not too many, and there were times when I came to dread them.
Steve Clarke began to change that, the qualification for Euro 2020 certainly had us all engaged, and he has built on that, to the extent I think most football fans have once again fallen in love with his Scotland team.
His record in the Nations League has been excellent.
We should have topped the section last time round, but took our eye of the ball post-Serbia, and somehow missed out by finishing with back-to-back defeats in Slovakia and Israel. That cost us a guaranteed place in the play-offs for the Qatar World Cup Finals.
Clarke made no such mistake this time round.
While the summer wasn’t hugely inspiring; the routine wins over Armenia sandwiching the capitulation in Dublin, the manager rallied his squad, and pointed to the disappointment of losing out in the play-offs – which we had secured at the second time of asking – as a reason why the June performances had been sub-par.
Both he, and the players, got it right in the recent round of fixtures.
The win over Ukraine produced some of the best football the national side has played in years, they had to dig in and show real battling qualities in coming from behind to beat Ireland, and then put in a dogged defensive display in Krakow to secure the point that was all they needed.
As Steve said, three very different performances, and three very good results. Any team has to be able to adapt to the opposition, and to varying circumstances, if they are to be successful. The Scots did that in the trio of matches, and he has every right to be exceptionally proud of the group.
The goalless draw against Ukraine was perhaps the most noteworthy.
Shorn of seven defenders, eight if you include Scott McTominay, Clarke stuck with his back four, put together a makeshift line-up, and was rewarded by those he selected. The injury call-offs he has suffered have been remarkable. In all three games, he had to substitute both full-backs, and Jack Hendry was the only one to start each match.
A week ago, the back four of Hickey, Hendry, Porteous and Taylor could not have been predicted by anyone, but he put them together, organised them, and got the scoreline he required.
Ryan Porteous, inevitably, got many headlines. While I do think some of the praise he received was over the top – he got dragged out of position too often for my liking – the Hibernian defender did put in a largely disciplined and impressive performance, and his stoppage-time challenge in the box was outstanding.
If he concentrates on that side of his game, he may yet shake off the “bad boy” image he has brought upon himself.
There is now so much to look forward to for Scotland: promotion to league A, a guaranteed Euro 2024 play-off spot, and crucially, a pot two seeding in the qualification draw.
This has been one international break I have thoroughly enjoyed.
Massive day ahead for Cove Rangers
Even at this relatively early stage of the season, there is a massive game at Balmoral Stadium on Saturday.
Cove Rangers and Arbroath are separated by a single goal at the bottom of the Championship. A win for either today would not only give them a points and psychological edge; it would also have the teams just above them looking over their shoulders.
Clearly, I want to see Cove end their run of matches without a victory, and there have been signs of late we are ready to do that.
Having worked at every game this season, I can say honestly there has only been one – the shocker against Ayr United – where we haven’t been in contention, and the back-to-back draws against Hamilton and Partick stopped the losing sequence.
I get the feeling this will not be a 90 minutes for the faint-hearted!
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