Pat Nevin has revealed that Steve Clarke texted him shortly after his Scotland exit, saying the decision 'felt right'. Clarke walked away after a disappointing World Cup, surprising many as the announcement came just weeks after he had signed a lucrative four-year deal through to the 2030 tournament.
Surprise exit after new contract
Clarke leaves as one of Scotland's greatest ever managers, having turned the nation back into tournament regulars after decades in the wilderness. However, after failing to progress through three separate group stages, Clarke felt it was time for someone else to take over. The 62-year-old said the plan was always to walk away if Scotland did not advance in the US, and the contract was signed to give players comfort.
Nevin, who played with Clarke for Chelsea and Scotland, was taken aback by the news. He told Betano Online Casino: "I'm surprised Steve Clarke signed a new contract in the first place, but I understand why the SFA wanted him. He guaranteed Scotland getting to major tournaments. I was just taken aback that he left so quickly."
Text message revelation
Nevin added: "I'm meeting him in a couple of weeks so I'll speak to him in person, but he texted me and said it 'felt right.' A cynic might say that the top players are getting old and the next manager has a hell of a rebuild on their hands. If they'd managed that one more point, they'd have been fine in the US."
Reflecting on Clarke's tenure, Nevin said: "Knowing him and the reaction from Scotland fans, I'm not surprised he's moved on. Scotland have reached three of the last four tournaments after a long drought. We were beaten by the fifth and sixth best teams in the world, but we weren't good enough in the end. Am I surprised? In time, no, I'm not. Knowing him and knowing what happened at the tournament, and the reaction from Scotland fans, no, I'm not surprised. Why would you hang around? In the end, Scotland have now got to three out of the last four tournaments when they hadn't got to anything for so long."
