New Scotland boss Steve Clarke is ready to call on the Tartan Mafia

Steve Clarke will tap into the experience of the Tartan Mafia as part of his bid to end Scotland’s long wait to return to a major finals.

Installed as the country’s fourth permanent manager in a decade last Monday, the 55-year-old wasted no time in establishing himself as his own man.

The Nations League play-offs, seen by many as Scotland’s best chance to reach Euro 2020, are – he insisted with a nod to the topical – a backstop to be avoided.

At the same time, the former Kilmarnock boss is clear about the desirability of having a couple of consigliere to turn to for advice.

And who better than those who have gone before him?

“Just before I did my first press conference, I got a little message from Alex McLeish,” Clarke revealed.

“He is a great guy, and I’ll definitely be speaking to him going forward.

“I’d also like to sit down at some stage with Walter Smith, who did very well with the national team.

“Gordon Strachan is another one I want to talk to.

“All in all, I’ve had some great offers.

“Malky Mackay (the SFA’s performance director, who acted as caretaker Scotland manager for a friendly against the Netherlands two years ago) flew back up for a chat this week.

“He is someone I know professionally, not personally.

“I got the tin tack from West Brom after we’d played his Cardiff City side. It was one of those games, and if we’d won, he was getting the sack!

“We’ll find a way to work together for the benefit of the nation.

“And there are good people underneath.

“I have spoken to Scot Gemmill a few times about players in the Under-21s.

“Hopefully he has one or two up his sleeve who he’ll push through and recommend, if not for this squad then certainly for future ones.

“I think there is enough talent now. The job for these guys is to make sure the talent line keeps producing.

“My job is to make sure we make a good fist of qualifying for Euro 2020, and actually qualify.”

It should be said that not all of Clarke’s communications since getting the post have been entirely serious.

Kenny Dalglish, who he assisted when the Scotland legend was Liverpool manager, struck a cautionary note, while his own father revealed some confusion over what the role entailed.

“I spoke to Kenny straight away, and his first words were: ‘What have you done?’,” Clarke said with a chuckle.

“My dad was another. I sat down with him and told him I was going to take the job.

“He asked if I was happy, and what I was going to do now.

“I told him I needed to go and pick a squad, and he said: ‘Do you get to pick the squad?’!

“In days gone by, it would be done by the selection committee. So it helps that I get to pick the players.

“My dad isn’t the biggest fan of modern football.

“He says: ‘All they do is pass it sideways and backwards’.

“But although he doesn’t show it very much, I do know he is chuffed to bits that I will be in charge of the national team.”

While the appointment has gone down well with media and supporters alike, Clarke knows it will be the performances of the team on which he is judged.

The Euro qualifier double-header – against Cyprus at Hampden followed by the daunting trip to Brussels to play Belgium – are looming large.

“I have a lot of work to do in the next couple of weeks,” he continued.

“Normally when you get to this stage of the season, it’s the sun lounger, the flip-flops and relax a little bit.

“But I can’t do that. So it is plenty of coffee, plenty of food to keep my energy up and I will attack both games with relish.

“I am really excited to meet the players and get on with the challenge ahead.

“Until I get the players on board, it’s going to be difficult to say exactly how it will work.

“But my plan for them is they will be committed, flexible and, hopefully, competitive in every single game we play.

“I have already spoken to Andy Robertson – who I would imagine will stay captain – because I wanted to wish him luck ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League Final appearance.

“I was very impressed with the way he came across.

“If everybody is as enthusiastic and determined as he is to qualify for a major tournament, then we have a helluva chance.”

A nation expects.