Pat Nevin has urged the Scottish FA to think big as they search for Steve Clarke's successor, with Roberto Martinez emerging as a potential candidate after the World Cup. The former Scotland winger said the national team cannot afford to be "small-minded" if they want to compete with the elite.
Clarke's resignation and the search for a new boss
Nevin expressed surprise at Clarke's sudden resignation, especially after the manager signed a four-year contract extension. "What wouldn't have surprised me would have been if he hadn't signed that four year deal and then said: Okay I'll leave it, I've done enough, that's fine. But signing that four year deal and then a sudden reversal, that surprises me," Nevin told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.
Clarke's tenure will be remembered fondly, Nevin said, but the focus must now shift to the future. He stressed that the appointment is about more than just selecting a new manager.
Nevin's vision for Scottish football
"We're a small country, everybody's got to be working together and that means clubs, that means all the organisations within it. They can't be small-mindedness. There really needs to be a buy-in from everyone. We won't get anywhere without that," Nevin said.
He praised Clarke for securing buy-in from players, the Tartan Army, and the SFA, but said wider structural changes are needed. "To develop the players and get the players coming through, we need to look at some structural things as well making sure that we get young Scottish players given opportunities early. That's been a problem I've known since I played, really," he added.
Nevin highlighted the lack of early opportunities for young Scots at top clubs, saying: "If you're a youngster and you are going to sign for a club, you are going to go gravitate towards the big ones. But if you're not going to get a chance there until you're 21, 22 or you're moved on, those views are gone you can't get them back. All the very best players in world football, they have that built into them really, really early."
Potential candidates: Martinez and Moyes
Nevin identified Roberto Martinez as an intriguing option, noting that the Spaniard has reportedly decided to step down as Portugal boss after the World Cup. "When Robbie Martinez finishes with Portugal, he might be an interesting one as well," Nevin said.
He also mentioned David Moyes, who was previously available when things weren't going well at West Ham. "He would have been the perfect man. I don't think there were many people who would have said anything other than Moyes would be really great. But that's not happening now. He's doing really well at Everton and that's not going to happen now," Nevin explained.
Challenges in attracting top managers
Nevin acknowledged the difficulty of attracting elite managers to Scotland. "Trying to get managers that have been at the absolute top level to look at Scotland and look at what it's like and what happens when you lose a few games and knowing that there's a rebuild needed, that's tough. You're not going to drag them into that one. They're not stupid, these people. They will take their time and see that they've got a good thing that they can run with."
He suggested the SFA may need to take a chance on a young Scottish manager or an upcoming foreign coach. "We're probably going to have to go with either a young Scottish manager and take a chance or an upcoming and quite successful one from abroad. But even that's tough because upcoming and successful from abroad, they want to stay in domestic football. They want to make their name there."
Timing and the need for athletic development
Nevin said the timing of Clarke's exit is "massively crucial" because of the change coming. He also pointed to the need for greater athleticism in the Scotland squad, a weakness exposed at the World Cup. "We look a wee bit sluggish and not quite athletic as them. That's something that somehow over a period of time that we need to work on and Stevie knew that we didn't have that to that level all the way throughout through our group. That's a hard thing to change. That's cultural. That's bigger than football," he concluded.
