​For much of Saturday afternoon, the skies over Charlotte wore a dirty grey, rain hammered down, the wind lashed, and thunder rumbled with near-constant crackling of lightning. If Steve Clarke glanced from his hotel room, he would have seen a scene that felt like a biblical backdrop for a bombshell. In minutes, Scotland were officially eliminated from the World Cup, and news of the head coach’s departure arrived. Unlike the weather, there were no forewarnings.
The way he chose to exit mirrored the man himself: low-key, no fuss, no immediate interviews, and no need to justify his thoughts any more than he already has. The length and detail of his farewell statement hint that this had been in the works for a day or two, yet there is no explanation for why he made the decision now.
Why the abrupt move? Why not return home, take a break, and reflect? Snap judgments and emotional reactions do not define Clarke, so this timing is puzzling. The players were unaware this was coming, and nor were many in the Scottish FA board. A month ago, these same people had proclaimed that Clarke would stay for four more years. Clarke steps down as Scotland boss.
There are strands of opinion from football people: some wanted him to stay civilly; others simply do not like him. He angered some Rangers fans when, as Kilmarnock manager, he mocked sectarian singing as “stuck in the dark ages,” and a portion of that group neither forgets nor forgives. And now he is gone. His legacy is strong, but there is a sense of relief that a new voice and fresh ideas might emerge—if a good appointment can be secured, which is not assured.
Seven years feels like an eternity. The Scottish FA feels the sting of having committed to a four-year extension only last month, now undone by his sudden departure. Clarke critics range from the measured to the extreme, but there is a familiar worry: there are few outstanding, realistic candidates in the pool. Hampden faces the pressure of appointing the right manager from a limited field ahead of six Nations League games between September and November.
Clarke will be a distant memory by then, yet he has been a formidable force for Scotland for a long time, lifting the team from wilderness territory but never delivering knockout major championship football. That remained his objective in America, and he fell short. Three major championships in seven years, a mix of highs and lows: Scotland wrestled through all three tournaments, but they reached them. People may scoff now, but memories are short in the internet age.