T here seems to be an element of surprise to Scotland leading a European Championship qualifying group, but this should not be the case.
They have beaten Spain and Norway as part of four victories in four matches to give themselves a great chance of spending next summer in Germany and it has nothing to do with luck.
Steve Clarke has completed four years as head coach and has a contract until 2026, bringing stability and giving him time to instil his philosophy into a team peaking at the right time.
Throughout there is a level of quality that has been lacking in the national setup for a long time. There are usually one or two standout players but, finally, there is a group that would make it into most top-flight teams in Europe’s big five leagues.