Scotland head coach Steve Clark has ended 2024 with some fans criticizing his style of play, squad selection and more after a winless Euros campaign in Germany.

However, it was then that the 62-year-old decided to shut out his critics, stick to his plan and “stubbornly” help Scotland into the World Cup.

Fast forward a year and he delivered.

His side will head to next summer’s finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada, with Clark becoming the first Scottish manager to lead a men’s team into three major competitions.

That unforgettable beat DenmarkLocking up a World Cup spot for Scotland was “vindication” for Clark.

Attention now turns to pre-match friendlies, base camps and potential new call-ups as Newcastle United’s Harvey Barnes could ditch the England squad and switch his allegiance to Scotland.

Well, just over a month after locking in eligibility, the national team boss sat down sky sports“Luke Shanley discusses all this and more…

Are you still pinching yourself and reflecting a lot, or are you now looking to the future?

“It was a bit of a mix. I didn’t pinch myself, I was right there and I knew it happened.

“I’m also very confident that it will happen because I trust my players. We know that if we can make the game against Denmark a decisive game, we have a chance. That’s what we talked about in the group preparations – to try and make this game a decisive game.

“We managed to do it. We didn’t expect to do it the way we did. It was a crazy game.

“I still have good feelings about the game, that night, the way it ended. I think most people in the country feel similarly.

“But after that your mind starts to turn to thinking about logistics, base camp, training camps, fixtures, friendlies, build-up, squad selection.

“There’s a lot going on in this little head, and it keeps me busy enough.”

Three out of four qualifications, how proud are you of that record?

“I think the qualifying record with the current group of players, myself and the current group of players is really good.

“The record in the friendlies was not very good, but the record in the qualifying matches was very high.

“We didn’t get to the 2022 World Cup. It’s a huge disappointment but it’s something we talked about at the time. It’s something we talk about moving forward.

“I spoke to the players about it before the game against Denmark and said you have to remember the pain we felt at missing out on our last chance to go to the World Cup and make sure we don’t suffer the same pain this time – which we didn’t.”

How do you feel about what you have done for your country?

“Obviously, my family and friends are here so they’ll keep me informed. They’ve been talking about World Cup fever.

“It’s nice to have a lot of people come up to you and just want to shake your hand and say thank you, well done. It’s a special feeling.”

“When you walk through the airport, everyone wants to shake your hand, but everyone also wants to know if you have a ticket.

“The answer to that question is always no because tickets are so tight.

“Even in America, walking through an airport, there’s always a Scot who wants to come over and take a picture, or just say well done.

“I think it shows how much this group of players has achieved for their country. It’s very special.”

How are preparations for the World Cup currently going?

“I just got back from the US and was looking at some potential base camps.

“Our priority is not high in terms of getting a high-end base, so we have to wait and see what we get.

“Then it’s a matter of weighing the logistics, how long the trip is and how far away it is from the stadium where we’re going to play.

“I was hoping in the two games in Boston that we would be able to establish close bases there, but from what I saw on the catalog, there weren’t a lot of bases there.

“Some of the better bases are a bit further away and you have to go there at minus two o’clock on game day.

“So there are a lot of things to weigh up in terms of setting up the right base. You want a place where players don’t feel isolated. Getting players’ families to evacuate is an issue.

“There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to the logistics of the event.

“After looking at a few bases, I have a better idea. We will also be looking for a pre-base camp in the United States, so we are hoping to end the season with a testimonial game here for the Hamptons.

“Hopefully we can set up a pre-base camp in the United States, preferably somewhere very hot, very sweaty, very sticky, so the players can be as acclimated to the game as possible.

“We’ll try to organize a friendly a week before the game and then get into the game itself. It’s a lot of work to organize but it’s great to be able to organize it.

“We’re not worried about the play-offs in March. It’s great to go into the draw and see there’s no asterisk next to the name Scotland.”

What do you think about the draw?

“It’s very similar to 1998, very difficult.

“Brazil is fifth in the world and Morocco is 11th. By the time the tournament starts, Morocco will probably be in the top ten because I expect them to do well in the Africa Cup of Nations.

“This is the first time Haiti has been here since 1974, so they will be determined to go there and do their country proud.

“We can expect three tough games. I think if you play in any major tournament, you know the games are going to be tough. This one will be no different.”

Do you think your squad is complete, or do you think there will be a lot of new faces in it?

“I think when you look at it you see there’s always room for others in the team. I’ve always been a loyal coach to my players but that loyalty has to go both ways.

“You don’t get into the team just because I’m loyal to the players. They have to continue to perform as they have been doing.

“There is always room for an outsider, someone who comes from nowhere and is suddenly exposed to a rich form.

“Going back to the last Euros, someone like James Forrest, who suddenly found a really good spot towards the end of that season, got him into the team.

“There’s always one or two people who come out of nowhere and force their way into the team.

“Normally a team has 23 players and then it becomes 26, so suddenly there are three more spots.

“I’m loyal to my team, but they have to deserve to be there.”

There’s been so much talk about Harvey Barnes, is that something you’ve been involved with, or does it have to be the other way around?

“It’s very open, that’s what it is.

“Xavi was asked about it in an interview; he was very non-committal. I was asked about it in an interview and I will be very non-committal as well.

“You never know how these things are going to pan out.

“A few years ago, Harvey and I spoke about the possibility of joining the Scotland squad. At the time, he moved to Newcastle and he felt he had an opportunity to join the England squad and we decided to just stay there and that’s what happened.”

Do you think the World Cup qualifying campaign is a testament to you, your approach and your tenure in Scotland? Because you were criticized after the Euros?

“Football is very short-term now. You win a game and you’re great, you lose a game and you’re rubbish. There are big extremes.

“After the last European Cup, I personally felt that the criticism was a bit excessive.

“I was stubborn. I got through it and I decided I knew what I wanted to do. I believed in my players and we knew we didn’t do what we wanted to do at the Euros, but I also knew this group of players could make it to the World Cup. That’s what I wanted to do and that’s what they wanted to do.”

“You just have to see it. Sometimes you have to eliminate criticism. I always knew in my mind what I wanted to do.

“It doesn’t always make other people happy, but I think now if you look at it and you’re talking about making other people happy – I think this group of players, myself, my coaching staff – we’ve made this country happy.

“So, yes, there is some evidence there.”