I am beginning to think that Steve Clarke might just know what he is doing.

No offence to Kenny McLean, good player as he is and fine career as he has had, but I can’t have been the only one to question Clarke’s reasoning behind putting the Norwich City midfielder on as Scotland trailed by a goal heading into the final stages of a largely uninspiring performance against Norway. To that point.

Or, to be wholly truthful, I can’t have been the only one to shout “What the f*** are you doing?” at the telly. And it wasn’t without reason, either. McLean had scored just once before in his Scotland career - against San Marino - and had hit just one goal for Norwich last season - against Rotherham United.

Soon after losing the plot at that change though we were all losing the place as McLean stroked home a beautiful finish just moments after Lyndon Dykes had hauled Scotland level, winning the game and surely securing passage to the European Championships in Germany next summer.

READ MORE: Andy Robertson and Scotland overcome ropey ref and rob Norway

Despite an incredible record as Scotland manager – Clarke’s side have won 13, drawn one and lost just two of their last 16 competitive games – he has had his critics over the course of his tenure. And just as for that fleeting moment on Saturday evening, I have at times been among them.

When his team put in a dismal showing away to Denmark in a game they lost by two going on ten, and he played Andy Robertson at right wing-back, I wondered if getting his starting XI wrong and having to remedy it during the course of the match was becoming an unwelcome habit on the back of a disappointing Euros campaign.

His team roared back from that setback though, and put in perhaps the most complete Scottish performance in decades when they beat Denmark by the same score at Hampden.

Then came last June, with the two demoralising defeats to Ukraine and the Republic of Ireland that first ended our World Cup hopes, and then threatened to derail our Nations League campaign, the crucial insurance policy that had allowed Clark to end our major tournament hoodoo in the first place.

Again, his team responded, not only recovering to top their Nations League section and pocket a play-off for the Euros, but by racking up three wins at the start of this qualifying campaign – including a sensational defeat of Spain - that will likely render their fallback position redundant.

So, yes, Clarke has at times made missteps, but quite apart from his excellent overall record, it is the mentality he has instilled in this Scotland squad that acts as a towering testament to the job he has done.

And let’s not overlook the way he altered his tactics to give his players the opportunity to come back and win on Saturday evening, at the same time as he had the Tartan Army questioning his sanity for sending McLean on.

That substitution was part of a rejig, bringing Ryan Porteous off and moving from the defensive 3-4-2-1 to a 4-2-3-1, allowing John McGinn to abandon his rear-guard duties and concentrate on getting in touch with the tireless Dykes, with McLean linking up with that pair from the left.

READ MORE: Incredible Scotland scenes from away end after late Norway winner

He responded not only to the scoreline, but the actions of opposition coach Stale Solbakken. Having removed Erling Haaland, he removed much of the threat that Scotland could be caught on the counter. Seeing that opening, Clarke twisted the knife, and ultimately all-but killed Norway as a competitor in the section.

There may well be a section of fans who will never warm to Clarke as Scotland manager. And let’s be candid, most of those are Rangers supporters whose noses are still out of joint after the frequent spats he had with the Ibrox side’s fans while he was Kilmarnock boss.

Contrary to widespread belief, Rangers fans make up a large proportion of the Scotland fanbase, and many of those supporters have already managed to put those rivalries of old behind them and enjoy the success of the Scotland team, no matter who is in the dugout.

It is a shame for those who cannot though, because they are missing out on a golden era of the national side that has largely been Clarke’s construction.

I and many others - as long as we don’t do the most Scotland thing possible and now lose to Georgia at home – will be more than happy to eat our humble pie and continue to savour the fare that Clarke and his team are serving up to us.

Just as his team’s character is proof positive of the job he has done, so too will a packed Hampden Park be tomorrow night. And should Scotland be a goal down going into the closing stages, and Clarke turns to his bench to send on Greg Taylor up top, I might just keep my opinions to myself until the final whistle.