Scotland: From Kazakh horror show to World Cup brink

It was impossible to imagine Scotland at a major finals, let alone two games from their second in as many years.

Scotland were humiliated in March of 2019.

Alex McLeish's men trailed 2-0 after two terrible concessions in their first game of the season. Since 1975, Scotland has faced a deficit so early. They did not register a shot on target before 55 minutes. The score was three by that time.

It was a poor performance from a team that was 67 places below Scotland. Feelgood was destroyed before it had a chance to build.

This felt like a new low after two decades of international despondency.

The Clarke effect

McLeish was unable to survive the fall-out from the Kazakhstan mortification. Too many had turned against him. The Tartan Army's cries grew too loud to ignore and the resigned apathy towards the national team reached unprecedented levels.

He was gone by mid-April, a year into his second stint as manager.

There was a lot of interest in Steve Clarke succeeding him. He was a fine coach, wringing every drop out of the players at his disposal.

Killie were very organised and hard to beat.

He took them from 11th to fifth with a record points tally in his first season at Rugby Park, then bettered that haul in his second season to third and Europe. He was named the PFA Scotland manager of the year.

After a narrow win over Cyprus, the work was cut out with back-to-back matches against Belgium and Russia.

The football was not pretty, but the signs were encouraging and there was a Nations League safety net. Scotland made the Euro 2020 play-off final via penalties after a goalless draw with Israel. The opportunity to reach the promised land was set up by that.

Scotland boogie again

Ryan Christie's tears, David Marshall's saves, screenloads of meme, gallons of booze and a heady euphoria followed. Scotland had made it.

I Can Boogie became Scotland's tournament anthem thanks to a questionable dance video from defender Andy Considine.

New heroes gave a generation of people reason to believe. Andrew Robertson, Billy Gilmour, John McGinn, and Lyndon Dykes became national icons.

The start was rather boring, with a 2-0 loss to the Czech Republic. The second game was not good. There was an invasion of London and a party at Wembley when Scotland battled to a goalless draw.

When the pubs were emptied and the bars were closed, there was a mass celebration in George Square.

Scotland was brought back to earth by Luka Modric and Croatia. Hope and passion can't carry a team deep into major tournament finals, as shown by the comprehensive 3-1 defeat.

World Cup fever builds

Scotland has not lost in eight games.

They won their final six World Cup qualification games, against Ukraine and then Wales, and they are in a three-way tie with Qatar and Ukranian.

The qualification group winners were put to the sword. Austria too is in Vienna. Scott McTominay's goal was ugly but beautiful to the Tartan Army.

The play-off semi-final was delayed because of the ongoing destruction in Ukraine. It is just days away from what is sure to be an emotionally charged evening.

There will be a swell of goodwill behind the visitors even though they will be without a key defender due to injury.

A face-off with the Welsh for a place at the big show is what awaits if you win that.

Stay for the ride. It is fun to follow Scotland again after a long time.