S. Clarke
Latest news
Steve Clarke says he was always going to leave Scotland if World Cup went badly
Clarke: ‘Right time to step away’ after group stage exitClaims it was ‘easy decision’ despite signing new dealSteve Clarke has said it was an easy decision to step down from his role as Scotland head coach because he always planned to do so if the World Cup did not go to plan.Clarke told his players on Saturday night, at their Charlotte hotel, that he was ending his seven-year tenure after it was confirmed Scotland had failed to get out of their group. The announcement came a month after he signed a four-year contract that would have incorporated Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup. Continue reading...
Clarke says standing down 'easy' decision after World Cup exit
Steve Clarke says it was an easy decision to step down as Scotland head coach because he always planned to depart if they did not reach the knockout stage.
Small-minded SFA must ditch parochial mentality if Scotland are to thrive | Ewan Murray
Search for Steve Clarke’s replacement must look outside the country’s borders to avoid future World Cup disappointmentThere was one element of the Scottish Football Association’s otherwise baffling decision to give Steve Clarke a four‑year deal weeks before a World Cup ball had been kicked that made sense.When assessing alternatives to Clarke as the Scotland manager, it is apparent that paucity of talent among the country’s footballers is replicated in the coaching ranks. Clarke’s sudden resignation places the SFA in a position it was not only desperate to avoid but requires something it typically lacks; out‑of‑the-box thinking. Clarke has spared himself and his paymasters an acrimonious, lengthy goodbye while placing them in precisely the quandary they thought they had seen off. Continue reading...
Football Daily | England muddle on and Clarke checks out as World Cup moves up a gear
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!After much hesitant wallchart-filling, Geopolitics World Cup fans are finally able to feast their eyes on a complete knockout stage and plot their team’s route to a painful penalty shootout exit. Unlike in previous tournaments, there is no rest day for the wicked this time, with the first last-32 tie – a blockbuster tie between Canada and South Africa – taking place 15 hours after the final group reached its dramatic conclusion. Despite what their supporters sing, the GWC party will now continue without Scotland … who will continue without Steve Clarke. The GWC mixed zone’s least popular man has asked himself whether he is best placed to lead the nation into the next major tournament and has accepted the answer (‘no’) with good grace. “Thanks for having me and good luck to my successor,” Clarke sniffed as he backed away from the lectern and headed for the door marked Do One.Re: Mike Towers’ request for potential walking football terms (yesterday’s letters). If two neighbouring Scottish teams play each other, is it known as the ‘infirm derby’?” – Roger Mart.If Mike Towers wanted to sample walking football, he needn’t even have left his house. He could have just watched Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Portugal” – Derek McGee.As we enter the knockout stages of the GWC, I thought it time to put down a marker. On at least four occasions in the last couple of years, you have predicted penalty shootouts to finish 1-0. According to RSSSF, this has happened maybe twice ever in a normal shootout (including Silures’ 1-0 win on penalties against Hafia in the second round of the African Champions’ Cup 1979 are not known). So stop it – I’m on to you” – Neil Rose [never! – Football Daily Ed].Kev the Poet’s suggestion that Odysseas Vlachodimos is a midfielder might explain why he was so bad whenever he played in goal” – Jim Hearson.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...
New deal, new beginnings & a sudden exit - Clarke's Scotland timeline
BBC Scotland charts the trajectory of Steve Clarke's last month as Scotland head coach.