'Naturally': Steve Clarke Scotland future timeline becomes clearer as conversations kept on ice

Clarke’s contract with the Scottish Football Association expires at the end of the finals in July next year, The 62-year-old had been widely expected to vacate his post after the tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico, but left the door open to an extension in the wake of defeating Denmark 4-2 at Hampden on Tuesday to secure Scotland’s World Cup berth.

After the match, when quizzed on whether there was more to achieve with Scotland beyond next summer, Clarke said: “I don’t know, my bosses may want to sit and have a chat. I don’t think about me. I haven’t given it any thought. The door is always open. You never know what is going to happen in the future. Nobody can see ahead. I don’t close any doors.”

Clarke has been in charge of the Scotland national team since 2019 and has taken the nation to two successive European Championships and now a World Cup. During that time he has come under fire from sections of the Tartan Army, not least after a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign, but he is now widely deemed Scotland’s greatest manager.

SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell is relaxed on where the governing body stands with Clarke and explained that discussions will “naturally” happen before Scotland’s next set of fixtures in March, with the World Cup draw to come beforehand on December 5 in Washington DC.

“It's been the best 48 hours of our football lives and while I understand the question, we've been open with each other since this journey started so we're both relaxed about the situation,” said Maxwell.

Clarke ‘knows how highly regarded he is by SFA’

“It's ironic that the same people clamouring for us to sack him are now clamouring to get a new contract but that's a measure of this latest success and, I'd like to think, the unwavering support he has had from the board. He knows how highly he is regarded by everyone: from fans, his players and backroom staff, the board and colleagues at the Scottish FA.

“We have the draw in Washington then Steve himself said he's away to have the best Christmas ever with his family. Then we can have a chat about friendly matches in March, logistics around the World Cup and, naturally, a discussion about what happens after the summer. That is for another day - let's savour what has been a monumental achievement this week.

"Post-Euros, the vast majority of Scotland fans wanted us to change the manager. Now we've qualified, people want him to get a new contract. It's such a fickle industry. He's been clear, he wants us to get to a World Cup. We've done that and now we have to prepare for it. We're not confusing that with any other talk. It will happen when it happens and we will let you know when that happens."

Maxwell hailed Clarke’s contribution over his six-year spell and echoed calls for the manager to be knighted in the wake of guiding Scotland to their first World Cup since 1998.

“He's been absolutely brilliant,” continued Maxwell. “He's got to be our best-ever manager. All this Sir Steve Clarke stuff is absolutely well deserved - and we'll see if that comes off! We go and enjoy, make the most of it. We'll be as prepared as we can be and we'll have those conversations [with Clarke] another time.

"I want to go and enjoy the World Cup. He wants to go and enjoy the World Cup. We want to try and progress out of the group. We want to see how the logistics work. It's for another day.”

Asked if it was pleasing to hear Clarke say that the door is still open, Maxwell responded: "To be honest, I hadn't really paid much attention to that in any case - because it's just a question he gets asked. I get asked every time something happens ... are you keeping him, are you sacking him? That's just the way football goes.

“Listen, as I said, it's not for just now. We've got a magnificent eight months to look forward to and let's just see what comes. There's been no conversation between him and I. It's never been brought up. It's two days after a game."