Scotland's World Cup hopefuls must beware Greek grievances as boss has no doubt who better team are

It’s November in Athens. Rooftop bars have closed for the winter. The tourist hordes have dissipated and World Cup fever is evident only in the few thousand Scotland fans sensing history in the making amid majestic ancient ruins.

If this campaign has been a sprint compared to other more sprawling qualifying programmes, then Scotland – along with Denmark – are now bending for the line. Greece are already out of contention, like stragglers in a marathon. The authentic Marathon, as it’s known for understandable reasons, was staged in these very streets last weekend.

As with many of those runners motivated by following in the footsteps of Pheidippides, Greece, although they know they cannot finish first or even second in Group C, will be desperate to complete the race with pride intact. They will feel they have a point to prove. That would mean denying Scotland the point they need to keep hopes of automatic World Cup qualification alive.

Beware of Greeks bearing gifts? Beware Greeks nursing a grievance. The scent of revenge in their nostrils. Steve Clarke is advised to be on guard.

‘I really like the Scottish people’

Although Ivan Jovanovic has revealed his son Nicola attended Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, indebtedness for his child’s education – he studied business management – will not inform the way the manager approaches a match that could have ramifications on his own future after three successive defeats. Fondness for Scots will be put aside for 90 minutes. “I visited him (Nicola) regularly, I personally really like the Scottish people and the Scots overall,” the Serbian said. “They are very warm with a temperament I really like.”

When asked the critical question – his preference to qualify, Scotland or Denmark? – Jovanovic shrugged: “I don’t have a preference.” He was then asked the question to which he could give only one reply. Who are the better team? Greece or Scotland? “Greece!” he grinned, quick as a flash.

They will feel they, not Scotland, ought to be homing in on a trip to North America next summer. Jovanovic’s side have outplayed the Scots three times this year and emerged with one victory. The most recent meeting, at Hampden last month, was considered fatal to their hopes of qualifying for a first World Cup since 2014. Despite putting Scotland to the sword, they somehow conceded three times after scoring a deserved opener just after half time and left the field shaking their heads at the unfairness of it all. A loss in Copenhagen sealed their fate a few days later.

Such uneasiness about Greece’s mindset – will they be extra determined, in their own backyard, to show Scotland who’s boss? – is just another factor to consider with Clarke’s side standing so tantalisingly close to glory.

Piraeus, the port city a few miles along the Saronic Gulf in the main metropolitan area of Athens where Saturday night’s game is being played, is a gateway to the Greek islands. However, Scotland’s horizons stretch further, towards North America next summer.

“You’d take a draw right now!” Rarely has that supporters’ plea bargain felt more applicable. Do we even need to play the game? Let’s shake hands on the point that would stem Greece’s run of losses and head out to enjoy a few glasses of mastika, a local spirit that seems to have replaced ouzo as the post-dinner drink of choice.

It would allow focus to be trained on a must-win match against Denmark without the considerable burden of knowing that, in order to ensure Tuesday's clash at Hampden is not depressingly meaningless, a result must be earned against Greece, assuming the Danes beat Belarus as expected the same evening.

Fortune has favoured Scotland

Still, it’s a scenario that would have been gladly accepted on the eve of the campaign. It would have been eagerly grabbed as recently as the closing stages against Belarus, with Scotland struggling to hold on to a slender 1-0 lead.

Strangely given Clarke’s side are so close to achieving their ultimate objective, and have already sealed a play-off place, it’s not been a campaign where they’ve hit the heights. Perhaps they are saving the best for last.

One imagines it will take something approaching their best to secure a draw in Greece. While Scotland won on their last visit to the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, they were on the ropes after the interval as they sought to defend Scott McTominay’s first-half penalty lead. This remained all that separated the teams. Fortune favoured Scotland. The fear is this luck runs out.

The biggest issue is goalkeeper. Scotland have got away with it so far during this campaign, but relying on goalkeepers with minimal or, in the case of Craig Gordon, zero minutes of competitive action this season is asking for trouble. Whether trouble arrives over the course of this double header remains to be seen. Gordon will always back himself but what about a flashing header low to his left from Greek centre-forward Vangelis Pavlidis? Can he get there without instincts finely honed by months of games? Is age itself – he turns 43 on Hogmanay – now actively preventing such sprightliness.

Perhaps Clarke has seen something in Scott Bain in training. Possibly he acts on a hunch and goes with Liam Kelly. All carry an element of risk. Concern over the goalkeeper position might force Clarke into a tactical re-think. Might he switch to five at the back, a formation that feels regressive and evokes bitter failure at Euro 2024 but could offer greater protection for whoever is chosen in goal.

Unsurprisingly, The Scotsman’s flight from Edinburgh to Athens on Thursday was 90 per cent full of Tartan Army, which had inevitable consequences for drink supplies. At one point the patient flight attendant declared the bar had run dry, which elicited the expected reaction.

“Only joking! Don’t panic!” she quickly added. A cheer went up. Such sweet relief will be intensified if Scotland can emerge unscathed from this trip although moments of alarm seem guaranteed. Kick-off being set for 9.45pm local time is not the only reason it will likely feel like a long night for those Scots present.