'Different' Clarke bids to smash Scotland's glass ceiling

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Figure caption, Head coach Steve Clarke is leading Scotland into their first men's World Cup since 1998 By Nick McPheat BBC Sport Scotland Published 29 minutes ago "This time, it's a different Steve Clarke." The Scotland boss feels like a new man - and he is sensing a fresh wave of optimism as he leads his team into a third major tournament. The 62-year-old ended a finals absence of more than two decades when he guided the men's national side to the Covid-impacted Euro 2020. Play-off heartache in their quest to qualify for the 2022 World Cup was followed by the Scots roaring their way to Euro 2024. "I've not really enjoyed the previous two tournaments if I'm being honest," Clarke tells BBC Scotland in a candid interview. So why? Reduced crowds, two group games at Hampden and another at Wembley "didn't give the feel of a tournament" at Euro 2020, he says. On their showing in Germany two years ago, he adds: "We let ourselves down. We didn't play as well as we should have done and I probably didn't make the decisions that I should have." Clarke is convinced he and his players have learned from those experiences and are now in a position to "break that glass ceiling" by progressing to a historic knockout tie. "What we've achieved up to now is great," he says. "Let's see if we can achieve a little bit more." From risk of death to the oldest man at World Cup Published 15 hours ago Scotland's fateful 1978 World Cup campaign still resonates Published 1 day ago Set up BBC Sport to show you more Scotland this World Cup Published 17 hours ago 'Now we have to show tournament experience' Clarke points out that a high number of his squad have tournament experience. A chunk of them have two tournaments' worth. "Now we have to show that tournament experience in a tournament," he says. That starts on Sunday (02:00 BST) when a World Cup group opener against Haiti officially ends Scotland's 28-year absence from football's grandest stage. Even after the astonishing qualification-clinching victory against Denmark in November, there was a shift in mood following underwhelming displays in back-to-back friendly defeats against Japan and Ivory Coast. That intensified somewhat when news broke that Clarke had penned a new four-year deal at the end of last month. But the vibe around the national team has changed, with Clarke notably positive after warming up for the tournament with a 4-1 win over 10-man Curacao before smashing Bolivia 4-0. That positivity will still amount to cautious optimism for most of the Tartan Army. Clarke acknowledges these positive vibes are yet to be transferred to competitive football. There is no denying confidence is quietly bubbling away, though. The Scotland boss referenced it himself but stressed his players are not "over-confident". "They understand the challenges ahead and when they come, we'll be ready for them," he adds. "I'm trying to soak it u