Four weeks have passed since the night that transformed everything, and Steve Clarke is slowly coming back down to Earth.

Known for his typically reserved demeanor, Clarke found himself swept away in the final moments of Scotland’s match against Denmark—a place he had never ventured in all his years in football.

Amid the electric atmosphere at Hampden Park, the joy was nearly overpowering for everyone present, including the Scotland manager.

For Clarke, the true magnitude of their accomplishment only began to sink in during the days that followed the eventful night.

“It wasn’t really on the night,” the 62-year-old manager reflected. “You just have the euphoria of qualifying on the night.”

“I think the realization hit me after a couple of weeks at home, quietly reflecting and receiving a lot of messages.”

Steve Clarke admits that Scotland is still buzzing with World Cup fever after qualification

The scenes from the 4-2 victory over Denmark at Hampden will live long in the memory

‘One of the biggest things is that since I’ve been back in Scotland, I can’t walk past somebody without them shaking my hand and saying “well done”. It’s brilliant. And text messages from people saying “have you got tickets” and the answer is always “no!”

‘It’s gradually just sinking in. And then obviously you go to the draw which was an experience in itself.’

There were thousands present that day at the Kennedy Centre in Washington. Not many could say they were there because their nation had qualified with two utterly sublime goals after the 93rd minute.

‘At the draw the number of foreign coaches who came up and spoke to me about the way that game finished was quite incredible,’ Clarke explained.

‘It was certainly a game which caught everybody’s imagination.

‘The night was just mad, to think about the ups and downs within the game.

‘Up against 10 men you are thinking, “just see it out lads”.

‘Then, to go 2-2 you are thinking, “here we go again”.

‘Then we put on a left-footed right-back (Kieran Tierney) and the ball just falls perfectly…

‘These things don’t happen very often. I wouldn’t think you’ll get the whole package like we saw on that night again. And it was the whole package. People will remember it forever.’

It was a night which reminded you of the power of football. How it affects people. How it moves them.

As amazing as it was for Clarke to lead the side to back-to-back Euros, this is a different level.

From the minute Kenny McLean’s audacious lob landed in Kasper Schmeichel’s net, Scotland has been a different place to live in.

‘There seems to be a World Cup fever in the country at the minute,’ said Clarke.

‘To win that section was a hell of an achievement. Greece, Denmark and Belarus were good sides.

Scotland finished top of their group – and will now face Haiti, Morocco and Brazil in the USA

‘I was critical of my team after the Belarus game. Everyone else was critical and the team got booed off at Hampden. But one of the reasons we qualified is that we were the only team that took six points off Belarus. That is very un-Scottish. Normally it’s us that make the mistakes and drop the points.

‘We made it as No 1 in the group, which is a difficult thing for Scotland to do.

‘When we were at the previous World Cup draw, there was an asterisk next to the Scotland name. But this time we were there, the flag comes up and it’s quite visual. It was nice to see.’

While Clarke plans to thoroughly enjoy his Christmas, the hard work is already underway.

Some of his staff remained Stateside after the draw to seek out prospective training bases with the plan likely to be finalised by the middle of January.

Next month is also decision time for many of those players vying for a place in his 26-man squad.

For those who have found minutes hard to come by of late, they may have to consider going out on loan.

‘I’ve had one or two conversations with some players in that respect, to say it’s better for them if they are playing,’ Clarke explained.

‘I always say the September, October, November camps you get away with not playing because you can come away with Scotland and you might get minutes.

‘But from November to March is a long time without playing football. They need to get minutes on the pitch, as many minutes as they can.’

Clarke would clearly like to see Craig Gordon play more for Hearts, but he’s cognisant of the veteran keeper’s circumstance.

‘I haven’t spoken to because he’s in a particular situation,’ he said. ‘I don’t think Hearts will let him go. Why would you, if you’re going for the title? Why would you let your number two or your back-up goalkeeper go?

‘This time is different from the last time. He had been injured the last time, a long time injured.

‘He’s fit and he’s been training every day and working every day. That makes a difference.’

To date, there’s been nothing from Callum McGregor’s camp to suggest he’d consider an international return.

‘Nothing,’ Clarke said. ‘Again, everything is open. But he is busy at Celtic.’

A couple of months back, Clarke seemed content to draw a line under his tenure when the campaign ended, saying he was ‘75 per cent’ sure that’s what would happen.

You might well believe that making it to the finals has made the thought of staying on more appealing.

‘I don’t know,’ he shrugged. ‘Ian (Maxwell, chief executive) and I will sit down at some stage and discuss it.

Scotland fans will be looking to back their team at the finals in the USA after a remarkable night

‘It would need to be right for me. And I would need to find out whether it’s right for them.

‘I’ve got a few questions for them in terms of how we move forward and how we make sure it’s not over 20 years before we qualify for another tournament.’

That sounds like he may like to help with the next generation?

‘Yeah, it’s in my head,’ Clarke admitted.

‘I know how difficult it was to put together a group of players that have been successful in terms of qualifying.

‘Sometimes what is coming underneath are not the ones that will end up in the squad because you get the younger group coming through and suddenly someone will pop up from nowhere.

‘So, the short answer is, “yes”, if I was to stay on it would be to try and find a path that helps us continue to be reasonably successful.

‘Whether we qualify for every tournament or not is another matter. Qualifying now has become very difficult.’