Clarke has earned his plaudits. Getting us to three out of four tournaments is something to be grateful for, and you can see why the players back him so strongly. To be fair, steady qualification is the baseline; what matters next is turning that into proper tournament progress.

Respect where it’s due

There’s no need to tear the man down. He rebuilt belief and made Scotland a regular at finals again, and that counts for a lot. The dressing room adores him, and that kind of buy-in from players is precious. Fans should thank him for taking us back to the big stage on a consistent basis.

But progress means more than qualifying

Qualifying is one thing. Getting out of the groups is another. We’ve done the former with some frequency now; the real yardstick is whether the next era can push us deeper into tournaments. Simple as that. You don’t need fancy clichés — just a manager who can get us to the knockout rounds and give the country something to cheer about beyond the group stage.

Who could close that gap?

Look at England: they were reaching semis and finals but not quite tipping over the line. They shifted managers to try and get that bit extra. Scotland’s on a smaller stage, sure, but the principle stands. I’m not claiming any certainty, but someone like Postecoglou — if he fancies a crack — could bring a different tempo and attacking intent that might break stubborn groups open. It would certainly be more entertaining for fans who travel and pay good money to see the team.

So, in short: thanks to Clarke for getting us there. The next appointment needs to be about taking the next step. We’ve earned a spot at finals; now let’s aim to make the trip count.

Written by SounessesMowzer: 13 July 2026

Tags: squad