Scotland fans turn on manager Steve Clarke as he storms out of BBC interview and declares ‘I think we’re going home’ with their World Cup dream on its last breath
Scotland manager Steve Clarke stormed out of a BBC interview after being questioned about the anxious wait to see if his team could claim one of the best eight third-place places, much to the irritation of the Scottish fanbase.
Clarke’s team lost comfortably 3-0 to Brazil on Wednesday, with Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior putting the five-time World Cup champions on course for a first-half victory before Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha scored three points in the 60th minute.
Sloppy play from the back by Scotland enabled Brazil to make their debut, while the second came after the Scots had failed to clear their lines.
Only VAR intervention for a minor foul in the build-up prevented Vinicius Junior from completing a first-half hat-trick – much to the infuriation of boss Carlo Ancelotti – when Brazil could easily have scored five goals on the night.
Scotland, who only beat Haiti on the first matchday, face an anxious wait until Sunday to find out whether they can secure a place in the top eight third places as they aim to make the last 32.
Clarke struggled to contain his emotions at the final whistle and the question of how he would cope with the impending wait pushed him over the edge.
Speaking on the pitch after the match, he said: ‘We made it difficult for ourselves. This is it. We gave them the targets. We gave them the game they wanted. ‘It’s disappointing.’
Clarke struggled to contain his emotions at the final whistle and the question of how he would cope with the impending wait pushed him over the edge.
Asked for his thoughts on the agonizing wait ahead, Clarke abruptly replied: “I’m not even thinking about it.” He walked away as the cameras had to move to Kelly Cates in the BBC’s Salford studio.
Clarke’s reaction appears to have gone over well with Scottish fans; They, too, claimed that the 62-year-old’s shortcomings led to the team’s capitulation against Brazil.
One fan wrote: ‘Better managers than Steve Clarke have done these interviews with grace, win or lose.
‘When will the Scottish football media condemn this man for his incomprehensible tactics, (clear) lack of preparation and deplorable attitude towards media duties?’
Another wrote: ‘Too bad Steve Clarke belittles and preens his players like that in front of the media (sic).
‘After all, if you don’t score in two games in a World Cup, you don’t deserve the tournament. Inexplicably they could but would you even support Mexico against Scotland?
A third wrote: ‘Steve Clarke can’t understand that he is speaking to the fans in an interview and not the media.
‘You are the manager. People want to hear what you have to say. Throwing a tantrum, walking out, not offering any thought is just your thing, according to the fans.’
After witch doctors cursed Harry Kane and a psychic claimed aliens targeted the Scotland match in Miami, another X user has claimed his own mystical insight.
‘I may be naive but I have a feeling he (Clarke) might resign. Definitely based on nothing more than a funny sentiment,’ the person wrote to X.
‘I look forward to laughing about it when we get eliminated by Sri Lanka in the 2030 World Cup.’
While Scotland’s sloppy play from the back enabled Brazil to qualify for the opening game, the second leg came after the Scots had failed to clear their lines.
Lawrence Shankland’s wife Nicole Shankland took her place in the stadium before kick-off
| Set | Played | To win | drawn | Loss | For | Against | Goal difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 4 |
| 2. Sweden | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| 3. Croatia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 3 |
| 4. South Korea | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| 5. Algeria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 3 |
| 6. Paraguay | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 3 |
| 7. Scotland | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 3 |
| 8. Cape Verde | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 9. Belgium | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 10. Democratic Republic of the Congo | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 1 |
| 11. Ecuador | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 1 |
| 12. Senegal | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 0 |
Scotland’s failure to pick up even a point against Brazil (which would have significantly improved their outlook) leaves them on the brink of elimination. While they are currently seventh in the third row, there are many teams below them who are yet to play their final group matches.
Clarke, who signed a new contract with the national team until 2030 earlier this year, later returned to give a full post-match interview and again struck a pessimistic tone.
‘The change the players made was incredible; “Those who played 90 minutes in this heat and humidity were outstanding but we have to be better if we want to compete at this level,” he said.
‘We gave the ball well in the first 4-5 minutes, then we made a mistake. You can’t do that at this level because it will set you back and turn into a long night.
‘Of course I think we’ll go home.’
The wives and girlfriends of the Scotland stars were among those left helpless in the stands as they watched their partners suffer a disappointing defeat in Miami.
Among the Tartan Army in attendance was Miami Stadium resident Lawrence Shankland’s wife, Nicole. He was photographed holding his daughters, wearing a Scotland shirt with ‘Dad’ written on the back for the occasion.
Meanwhile, George Hirst’s girlfriend Aela Brown posted on Instagram to show her support before the match, while Jack Hendry’s wife Robyn was also in the stands with her children.
As the match began, David Beckham was also seen among the crowd, sipping a glass of red wine.
Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn’s wife Jade looked cheerful before kick-off.
George Hirst’s girlfriend Aela Brown shared the outfit she wore for the match on Instagram
David Beckham was seen drinking a glass of red wine in the crowd
As for Clarke, talkSPORT’s Scottish presenter Shebahn Aherne offered perhaps the harshest criticism of Clarke’s media management, which saw him storm out of an interview a few days ago.
It’s not good enough. Who do you think you are, Pep? Because you’re not,’ he said.
We haven’t been to the World Cup since 1998 and it’s incredible that we’re there and it’s down to Steve Clarke so I understand he’s doing his bit, but after Morocco last week this happened to someone I’ve known for a long time.
‘He came and stormed away. And for someone like him who has a job to do and she (Clarke) has a job to do. Six days later he does the same thing again. It’s not ‘I don’t understand why you don’t have to do this (post-match interviews)’. Well, you have to do this, so start from the front.’
He continued: ‘A lot of people have spent a lot of money to be here, to follow this team, to represent Scotland around the world to the best of their ability – everyone loves them – and you’re our man. You are our master and you go out and for a moment you cannot get dressed and appear before us. This really bothers me because we’re in this industry and we haven’t even gotten to talk to Steve Clarke once in this journey.
‘I thought we would get the opportunity to win, lose or draw because we are all here to do a job. I understand he did his part to get us here but at the end of the day, when that full-time whistle blows, you have to stick with it, so I’m really disappointed because I love him. It gave us the opportunity to be here, to move to the Euro. But don’t talk to people like that, don’t act like that, just grow up.’
