The group leaders are seeking to make it five Group A wins in a row but Ketsbaia believes their passage to Germany is secure whatever happens on Friday night in Larnaca, where the stifling conditions could present a problem for Clarke’s men. “Scotland have already qualified as far as I am concerned,” said Ketsbaia. I don’t know if they will win the group, but I am sure they will qualify. We have watched all their games and they have been better than all the opposition.”

Clarke smiled when this was relayed to him. He may have other reasons to take something Ketsbaia has said with a pinch of salt having worked with the colourful Georgian at Newcastle United. But the Scotland manager was certainly in no mood for Ketsbaia’s attempt at mind games – if that is what it was. Not even the knowledge that Scotland are playing the group’s bottom team in a stadium where it is estimated over three-quarters of the 8,000 crowd will be cheering for the away team could lull Clarke into a false sense of security.

“You guys know me well enough by now, that’s not the mindset we want to have,” he said. “We want to treat every opponent correctly and want to get as many points on the table as we can. This is another opportunity for us to add to our total so far. So I don’t agree with that (Ketsbaia’s claim). We’ve been working on getting better game by game from day one. It’s something we’ve always done, just tried to improve all the time. I said after Euros 2020 that we’d improve as a group and I think we’ve done that. But I still feel there is more improvement to come. It’s good to be where we are just now. But can we be a little bit better.”

Steve Clarke knows Scotland still have work to do as they try to qualify for the Euros.

Steve Clarke responds to Temuri Ketsbaia Scotland claims and answers questions on Elliot Anderson being 'nobbled'