'Rather silly': Scotland issued warning on Steve Clarke contract by legend
Scotland’s all-time record appearance holder is convinced Clarke has done enough to merit a new deal
Scotland legend Sir Kenny Dalglish says the Scottish Football Association would be “rather silly” not to offer current head coach Steve Clarke a new contract.
Clarke has overseen qualification for three major tournaments since taking charge of Scotland in 2019, but the 62-year-old’s current contract is due to expire after this summer’s World Cup finals in North America.
Providing an update on his future last week, Clarke indicated the ball was effectively in the SFA’s court over whether they wanted to retain him and said that he felt it was “50-50” that he would stay on. The former Kilmarnock boss also intimated that he would like the issue resolved before the start of the World Cup.
Dalglish, who is the nation’s record appearance holder and joint highest goal-scorer, is in no doubt that the long-serving boss has done more than enough to merit a new deal. He has urged the Tartan Army to get fully behind his squad as they attempt to become history-makers as the first Scotland team to progress out of the group stage of a major tournament.
“Stevie will do what Stevie wants to do,” Dalglish said at a Hampden press conference. “Everybody’s contract runs out sometime doesn’t it? But I tell you, it won’t be on results if he doesn’t stay.
“It’s a great compliment to Steve that he’d be such a hard act to follow if he was to go somewhere. It’s all supposition, isn’t it? Until that answer comes, just let the World Cup happen. Let him get on with it, give him and the players as much support we possibly can, and see how it goes.
“And then afterwards, he’s got a decision to make. I don’t think he’ll have a problem renewing his contract here (if he wants to), but I think it would be rather silly not to give him a new contract.”
Scotland are set to fine-tune their World Cup preparations with two friendlies against Japan on Saturday and Ivory Coast next Tuesday. Clarke’s side will be in a group with Haiti, Morocco and Brazil, with the top two plus eight of the best third-placed teams from the 12 groups qualifying for the last 32.
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