Steve Clarke says his decision to step down as Scotland head coach was straightforward because he had always planned to leave if the national team failed to reach the World Cup knockout stages.
The 62-year-old informed his players at their hotel in Charlotte on Saturday evening that he would be ending his seven-year spell in charge after Scotland’s group-stage exit was confirmed.
His departure comes just one month after signing a new four-year contract that would have kept him in the role through to Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup.
Speaking in an interview released by the Scottish Football Association, Clarke explained that qualification for the knockout rounds had been the final objective he set himself before deciding whether to continue.
“What I wanted to make sure was that when I felt it was time to step away, it was time to step away,” Clarke said.
“Signing the contract before the World Cup was a case of trying to give a little bit of comfort to the players knowing that we could continue the journey.
“I always had in my head that, if we didn’t come out of the group, which is something that we’ve tried to do across three tournaments now, I always had in my head that if that didn’t happen then it was probably the right time to step away.”
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Long-term goals fulfilled
Clarke admitted the decision was made easier by the fact he feels he achieved many of the ambitions he set when taking charge of the national team in 2019.
Under his leadership, Scotland ended a long wait for major tournament football and qualified for consecutive European Championships before reaching the World Cup.
He believes leading his country at football’s biggest tournament represented the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition.
“In some respects it was easy because I already had in my head what I wanted to achieve as a head coach,” Clarke said.
“I’d also ticked all the boxes.
“I wanted to go to a major tournament with my country. I did that with the Euros.
“My lifelong ambition was to do a World Cup with my country. I’ve done that, so not a bad time to step aside.”
Clarke added that had Scotland managed to progress from the group stage, he would likely have remained in charge for another tournament cycle.
Proud of legacy despite group-stage exit
Scotland’s campaign ended after defeats to Morocco and Brazil following their opening match against Haiti, but Clarke insists he leaves with a sense of pride.
He revealed that informing the players of his decision was an emotional moment, particularly given the strong relationships built over the course of his tenure.
Several members of the current squad have been with him since the beginning of his reign, while captain Andy Robertson was informed privately before the announcement was made to the wider group.
Despite criticism following Scotland’s elimination, Clarke said he enjoyed the World Cup experience and believes his side competed well against two of the tournament’s strongest teams.
“We played difficult opponents,” he said. “Morocco and Brazil, both of them can go really deep in the tournament and we competed with them, no matter what other people might say.
“We showed a lot of character and we played some good stuff. We didn’t find the quality in the final third of the pitch.”
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