How does Clarke rouse Scotland for tenure-defining games?

World Cup qualifying: Greece v Scotland

Venue: Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus Date: Saturday, 15 November Kick-off: 19:45 GMT

A smattering of applause was just as loud as the boos that came at the full-time whistle as Scotland limped their way to a World Cup qualifying win over Belarus last month.

That victory took the nation’s points tally in Group C to 10 from four matches. Only away to top seeds Denmark have the Scots dropped points this campaign.

There is nothing to boo about that, but the Tartan Army had just been put through the wringer as they watched their side struggle against the world’s 100th-best national team.

Three days prior, the performance level was a major concern as Greece somehow left Glasgow with nothing after outclassing Steve Clarke’s men for the majority of their 3-1 loss.

It was a camp that summed up the head coach’s reign in microcosm: positive results but fans left wanting more from a talented squad.

The 62-year-old now faces a tenure-defining four-day period, with qualifiers in Greece and at home to Denmark standing between a first men’s World Cup appearance since 1998.

Six points from six, a World Cup play-off spot guaranteed, and Clarke broke the record for most men’s games managed by a Scotland boss.

Perfect, right? Not quite.

Hampden was verging on turning toxic when Greece slammed in a deserved opener after an hour of domination.

But, out of nowhere, a quickfire leveller from Ryan Christie was followed by a late winner from Lewis Ferguson, then Lyndon Dykes capitalised on a howler from the visiting goalkeeper to add the tzatziki to the gyros.

Post-match, a bullish Andy Robertson was in no mood to sour the winning feeling. “If you want to complain about the performance, be my guest, crack on. We’re delighted with the three points,” the captain said.

Given the lesson Greece had handed the Scots at Hampden in the Nations League play-offs in March, those comments from the Liverpool left-back were probably fair enough.

But the Tartan Army were put through more torture just days later as they watched a composed Belarus rack up 22 shots. Fourteen of those were in the Scotland box.

Clarke was not so laidback. McGinn revealed that half-time of the Belarus match was the “wildest” he had ever seen the head coach.

After a record-breaking 72nd match in charge, Clarke said: “If you’d said at the start of this camp we’d come out with six points, everyone would’ve been really happy.

“But, I have to be honest, tonight I was really, really disappointed in my team.”

So how does he address that for arguably his most significant qualifiers to date?

Off the bench, Billy Gilmour subtly brought some control to Scotland’s play against Greece, who were threatening to run riot at Hampden for the second time in seven months.

But the injured Napoli midfielder will not be an option for Clarke in Athens, although he could return for the potential group decider with Denmark.

Fellow Serie A midfielder Lennon Miller, also capable of dictating and bringing composure to a game, will be missing as well after withdrawing injured.

Having faced 37 shots in two games at Hampden against Greece and Belarus, it is clear Scotland have been exposed in recent outings.

Clarke’s side rode their luck at times in their group opener in Denmark, but they looked a far more cohesive unit out of possession in a rigid 4-4-2 shape.

Christie, McGinn, Ferguson and Scott McTominay occupied a compact and energetic midfield four, with Dykes and Che Adams providing intense work rate and physicality as a forward pairing.

Bold decisions to not start Gilmour and Ben Gannon-Doak paid off as the Scots left Copenhagen with a well-earned point.

Regardless of the approach, Clarke and his players will travel to Athens knowing they can win there.

In March, McTominay’s penalty secured victory for the Scots in the first leg of their Nations League play-off, although they had to withstand a barrage from the Greeks in the second half and were then outclassed in the return leg.

Craig Gordon kept a clean sheet that night, and the veteran goalkeeper seems likely to be called upon again on Saturday in the absence of Angus Gunn.

Despite the second-leg disappointment, that result could prove hugely beneficial for the mindset of the 42-year-old, who has not played a minute for Hearts this term, and the rest of his team-mates.

So too could reminding them that they have shut out Denmark in their own backyard.

The Danes were also overwhelmed by the Scots at Hampden in World Cup 2022 qualifying in one of the standout performances of Clarke’s reign.

Despite leading the nation to back-to-back Euros, the Scotland boss has often faced criticism for a cautious approach, but his team were full of verve and quality in that 2-0 win back in November 2021.

A ferocious Tartan Army will demand a repeat of that display if their heroes can set up an almighty occasion at the national stadium on Tuesday.