Steve Clarke opens door to new Scotland contract but puts ball in SFA court amid potential club interest

The Scotland manager was speaking at a primary school in Renfrew after naming a 26-man squad for the upcoming friendlies against Japan and Ivory Coast. It was the first time since last year that he had faced a press conference environment and he appears more favourable to staying in his present role than he did last Autumn. He rated his chances of remaining in the post as 25-75 in November but now he puts them at 50-50.

The ball, he said, was in the Scottish Football Association’s court. He stressed he would “quite like it settled” before the World Cup kicks off in three months' time.

His current contract expires at the end of the tournament. Clarke has previously indicated a desire to return to club management. Celtic are among clubs likely to be looking for a new manager at the end of this season.

Clarke has been preoccupied with selecting Scotland’s base camp in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has now confirmed that the players will also travel to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for a pre-World Cup acclimatization camp following the Hampden send-off against Curacao on 30 May.

“I have been here, there and everywhere,” he said, when asked what the latest was in terms of his future. “I have had one very brief conversation with Ian (Maxwell, SFA chief executive) about what they want to do moving forward but from the last we spoke, (there was) nothing concrete in terms of this is happening or that is happening.

Are clubs eyeing up Clarke?

"Listen, we had an open conversation," he added. "I think I said a way back 25-75, I’d probably go 50-50 now (when it comes to staying). But I think I am waiting on the Scottish FA coming to me now and saying, ‘this is what we see as the future’. And if I am part of that then we can have that discussion.

“Obviously the thing in my head is, what do I do next? Where do I go next? What is next for me? I have qualified for three tournaments out of four. I think that is a pretty good record. Obviously I would like to do a little bit better in the tournament this summer but that is something we can address when we get out there. So what’s next? And the Scottish FA have to think a little bit about what is next for them?

“Do they think I am the guy who can go forward and progress the squad into the next tournament and hopefully set us up for a further World Cup qualification in four years’ time? That is what they have to decide. I just have to wait and see if any club jobs or anyone approaches me between now and the end of the season. And then I will have a decision to make. At the moment I do not have a decision to make.”

He answered “maybe” when asked if clubs had already expressed interest in talking to him. When pressed on a time frame, and whether he wants things tied up as quickly as possible given this summer’s workload, he said: “From my point of view, possibly. Because hopefully it is into July before we leave America, which runs into pre-season for everybody else, so yes from my point of view, I would quite like it settled.”

He denied having had a change of heart since November’s qualification, when he still seemed more inclined to move on following the World Cup after seven years in charge. He is already managed Scotland for more games than any of his predecessors.

"I always wanted to go to a World Cup with my country and I’ve now done that," he said. "The thing for me now is, do the Scottish FA want to keep me to try and go further and further and get more qualifications? That’s what they have to decide. At the moment I don’t really have a choice to make because they haven’t put an offer in front of me and none of the club sides have put an offer in front of me either.”