After Scotland’s World Cup defeat, the search for a new manager begins following Steve Clarke’s resignation.
Steve Clarke resigns as Scotland manager (Image: Icon Sport via Getty Images)
Scotland national team manager Steve Clarke has resigned following his resignation from the World Cup. The Tartans’ exit was confirmed after Croatia defeated Ghana 2-1, missing out on a place in the finals for the first time.
John McGinn made history as Scotland defeated Haiti for their first win in 36 years, putting them in a prime position to advance to the last 32. However, their hopes were dealt a fatal blow as they lost to Morocco and Brazil, then lost 3-0 to Carlo Ancelotti’s side, irreparably damaging their goal difference.
Wednesday’s defeat meant Scotland needed goodwill from the group across the tournament as they dropped down the table with a goal difference of -3 and qualified for the last 32 as the best third-placed team via the trapdoor. The news comes a month after the former Newcastle United and Chelsea assistant manager signed a four-year contract ahead of the tournament.
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In a statement, the 62-year-old said: “My deepest feelings in this farewell are to the players. Without them, none of the memories we have made from 2019 to now would be there. They deserve all the admiration and praise they receive and it was a real honor to be called their manager. Thank you for having me on board and I wish my successor the best of luck.”
Despite qualifying for the World Cup on that famous night when they defeated Denmark at Hampden Park, the pressure was mounting on Clarke. The 62-year-old has seen his team subjected to heckles during preparations for historic competitions, including the defeat to Ivory Coast in a World Cup warm-up match at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.
After the friendly on Merseyside, captain Andy Robertson said: “If we don’t get a result, we’ll just get booed.
“All I can say is that 95 per cent of the fans drowned it out right away. It was a minority, and it was a minority at Hampden. When we were clapping for the fans behind the goal, they were appreciating what they had seen and thanking the team for taking us to the World Cup. The reception at the end was unbelievable.”
“I don’t know if they just want to boo or not. For me, it wasn’t a performance to boo. I hate to lose, but there were a lot of positives to take.”
The Scotland manager also came under fire for his candid post-match reaction after the defeat to Brazil, in which Vinicius Junior’s double almost ended any hopes of a knockout. Clarke left the interview abruptly after two early mistakes left him in a tight spot in a showdown he should have lost to the World Cup record holder, and the head coach had no intention of pondering his next steps.
Scotland’s highly anticipated World Cup ended in tatters as the inquest continues. (Image: Nick Potts/PA Wire)
Days after Scotland lost 3-0, with their World Cup place in jeopardy, bookmakers launched a market on who could replace the 62-year-old. Those discussed included Everton’s David Moyes, former Danish national team manager Kasper Hjurmand, Barry Ferguson and Tetan youth representative Scott Gemmill.
Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell paid tribute to Clarke for restoring public confidence in the national team during his seven-year tenure.
Under his guidance, Scotland returned to major tournaments after qualifying for Euro 2024 in Germany and the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. “Whilst we are all disappointed to have been eliminated from the World Cup in the group stages, we must not lose sight of the undeniable progress that has been made in Steve’s seven years as manager,” Maxwell said.
“From starting 2019 as a Pot Four team to progressing through our World Cup qualifying group, he has more than fulfilled his mission to get Scotland back into major tournaments.
“We are grateful to Steve for his record-breaking contribution and when the disappointment of being eliminated from the World Cup subsides, Scottish supporters will once again be grateful for the memories of marching proudly in a major tournament.
“Finally, on behalf of the Scottish FA Board, I would like to give a special mention to all of our amazing supporters. The thousands of people who traveled to the United States to celebrate our return to the World Cup gave so much to this cause and once again showed themselves to be exceptional ambassadors for our country and our signature game.”
