There's not a lot of similarities between the two.
The Black Knight of Holy Grail being an apt description of what the visitors found on a remarkable night in Krakow would make you fancy the Scotland manager's chances of reprising one of the Monty Python man's most famous characters.
One of the more significant draws the national team has recorded in an age is the injury and suspension front, which was buffeted on by Clarke.
A draw can open up a world of possibilities. A gorgeous point that was enough for Scotland to top their Nations League group and get all that money that comes with it. "Here's what you won" is more important than "here's what you could have won"
The captain of the team is out for the past week. Is his best player missing through injury? Scott McTominay is also out. The Black Knight said that he had had worse.
There were three full-backs and four centre-backs that weren't present. It's a scratch. There is a Viruses in the camp It was a flesh wound. The back four were thrown together. Ukrainians have a chance after chance. None will pass. In all parts of the world, the Tartan Army chewed their fingers off. I move for myself.
Scotland held on. They didn't have to do anything else. Their previous results made that possible. Six points out of six puts them in the box seat, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
Mykhaylo Mudryk was denied by Craig Gordon after 49 after Taras Stepanenko put one wide.
It continued on and on. Scotland was giving the ball away and trying to hold onto it. Many of these guys were playing three high-intensity internationals in a six day period. Some people are running on fumes. Running. Also running.
The marquee names in this Scotland squad are well known, but Jack Hendry has been a towering presence in all three games, not just in defending well against Ukraine last week or when scoring the goal that got his team going against Ireland.
The inexperienced defence was marshalled by a guy who has only played 97 minutes of club football this season. At the end, he was in pain. It's no wonder. The man emptied himself.
In three games, Scotland gave up one goal. There is one. It's a crazy fact. Most teams ride their luck when they achieve something worthwhile.
Danylo Ignatenko had a shot saved by Gordon in the 51st minute, Illya Zabarnyi's effort went over the bar in the 63rd minute, and Stepanenko volleyed wide in the 78th minute. Scotland was throwing themselves in front of shots, hustling and harrying as best they could, as much as this was one way traffic.
The closer we got to full-time, the more worried we were. It used to happen to Scotland. The progression in this group of players is obvious.
Ryan Porteous had to make a tackle at the end of the game. There was a pause for the possibility of a penalty, but a replay showed that Porteous had gotten his timing right.
It has to be said that the piece of defending that he made his debut with was as important as anything else on the night.
Porteous, a pantomime baddie of the Scottish game, got caught out of position, but he stood up to a challenge that many would have thought was beyond him. The people were going for even-money on a red card.
The second the team was named, there were fears on social media. In the wake of the incident, Porteous was praised. His manager would have known what many football fans in this country would think about his centre-half and his eulogy spoke to that.
Scotland had 7 points from their last three games. Robertson, Grant Hanley, Liam Cooper, and John Souttar, who had been excellent in the win over Danes, were all claimed.
He played 26 minutes. They lost a player when they were down by a goal. They lost at least one person at that point. They won. The job was done thanks to character and quality.
Going into the Ukraine game in Krakow, another enormous game in less than a week, there can't have been many people outside of the Scotland bubble who thought they would get what they wanted. There are too many games and tired limbs. They found a new level in the bottles.
It's now possible forClarke to have a lie down. He can head home to rest and regroup, knowing that his players delivered in a major way. When they come together again for the next international window, how will he choose an 11? It's a dilemma any manager would love to have.
There was a guaranteed place in the Euro 2024 play-offs, promotion to the top tier of heavy hitters in the Nations League and a pot two seeding in the draw for the Euros qualification tournament proper. It is feel good. There are buckets of something. You can sense it in the air and see it on the faces of Scotland fans of all ages, but you cannot touch it.
We will be seeing them again soon. Supporters will be counting the days until they do.
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