While the squad selection is very much in the head coach’s hands, there are a few things outside his control causing a bit of a stir.

Most notably, the dispute between Foxborough town chiefs – where the Gillette Stadium, which is due to host Scotland’s first two group games against Haiti and Morocco, is located – and those responsible for security funding over a reported, external shortfall.

However, Massachusetts governor Maura Healey insisted , external“the World Cup is going to happen”.

“It is going to be in Massachusetts,” she said. “It’s going to be great to have people come from all over the world and see our awesome state.”

Another state Scots will see is New Jersey. There’s just a little uncertainty over the opposition.

Although it was not officially announced, it was understood Scotland’s final pre-tournament friendly was to be against Peru.

However, it appears, external Spain will now play Peru, forcing the Scots to find another opponent for the fixture on 6 June.

Clarke expressed his desire to face a South American nation and Venezuela have been widely linked as the replacements.

There will also be a new face opposite Clarke for Scotland’s second match at the finals, in the form of Mohamed Ouahbi, after Morocco parted ways with head coach Walid Regragui on Thursday.

The 50-year-old led them to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup – the first African side to reach that stage of the tournament – and to the final of this year’s Africa Cup of Nation, which was held in Morocco.

Senegal prevailed in a chaotic and controversial showpiece, in what proved to be Regragui’s final game in charge.