Time's Up For Clarke

To be fair, Clarke stepping away feels like the right call after another miserable tournament showing. You can't take away what he did getting Scotland back onto the big stage, but when appearances at tournaments become disappointment after disappointment, change becomes unavoidable.

What he achieved

He deserves credit. Over a period of years he steadied the ship, delivered qualification and gave the country something to cheer about. Those highs matter, qualification brought belief back and showed Scottish football could compete again. That legacy is real and shouldn't be trashed.

He also brought a bit of identity back, organisation, resilience and a platform for younger players to show themselves. That matters for the domestic game; clubs and youngsters benefit from a national side that is competitive and respected.

Why tournaments matter

Major finals are the measuring stick. Once you reach them the conversation shifts from simply getting there to actually doing something when you arrive. One poor finals campaign is a pain but understandable. Two or three? Fans and boards start asking questions. It's hard to argue that repeated underperformance can be shrugged off forever.

Tactically you can talk about shape, press, tempo, and game management, but at the end of the day results and impact on the pitch are what count. Supporters want more than respectable performances, we want moments and progress in tournaments.

Managers are judged on moments as much as process. Tight games, substitutions, set-piece decisions, those micro choices at tournaments define campaigns. If you can't turn qualifiers into tangible progress, supporters will demand a fresh approach.

Naismith, continuity and the Ibrox question

There aren't obvious, ready-made names queued up on the market. Continuity has its virtues. Naismith is a sensible shout, he knows Scottish football and could keep structures in place while fresh ideas are introduced. If he were appointed it would also put an end to the chatter linking him with Ibrox, which has been a distracting subplot.

Appointing from within or someone familiar reduces upheaval. Naismith ticks that box, and continuity might be what calms nerves while the board plans longer term. No guarantees, but it's a conservative, sensible route.

I'm cautiously optimistic. Change rarely solves everything overnight, but sometimes a fresh voice, or a familiar one in a new role, is exactly what's needed. Let's see what the board do, and hope whoever comes in can build on what was right and fix what wasn't.

Written by MrPotatoHead: 12 July 2026