Steve Clarke has lifted the lid on a tense behind-the-scenes battle with the Scottish FA over his contract renewal, revealing he deliberately applied public pressure to force the governing body's hand in the months before Scotland's World Cup campaign this summer.

Speaking at a Spartans Community Foundation dinner in Edinburgh — interviewed by former Chelsea and Scotland team-mate Pat Nevin — the 63-year-old gave the most candid account yet of his final months as national head coach, a role he has since vacated following the tournament in the Americas.

Clarke explained that by March, with the World Cup fast approaching, he had still not been offered a new contract. Rather than wait patiently, he decided to act.

"I did a little bit in the media in March to give the SFA a little shove," he said, as quoted by The Scotsman. "We negotiated non-stop from the beginning of April really to the middle of May, just before the Curacao game."

He described the process as laborious, telling the audience it was "like drawing teeth trying to get it over the line" — though they did eventually reach agreement shortly before Scotland departed for the tournament. Clarke's ultimatum, he revealed, helped concentrate minds at Hampden Park.

"I said to them if we don't agree a new contract before we go to the World Cup then I will say I am leaving the job. They panicked a little bit and gave me the new contract," he said.

Yet for all the manoeuvring, Clarke insists there was no contradiction in signing a new deal and then walking away when Scotland failed to progress beyond the group stage. He says he always knew, privately, what the outcome would be if results didn't go their way.

"I always knew in my head that if we did not get out of the group stage then I would probably leave. The only way I would have stayed on is if they had been three fantastic games and they went against you," he added.

Scotland beat Haiti 1-0 but were then beaten by the same scoreline by Morocco before a 3-0 defeat to Brazil ended realistic hopes of progression. The squad were then left to spend several days in Charlotte waiting to see whether goal difference might save them — it did not.

"We had to stay for four or five days, the longest four or five days ever just sitting and waiting, knowing you are going home because the goal difference was not good enough," Clarke recalled.

He had also told the press at the time that Scotland needed four points to have a genuine chance of going through, and stood by that assessment despite criticism. "I got hammered in the media for saying that. But I was right," he said.

Perhaps most tellingly, Clarke revealed that conversations with senior players after the Brazil defeat left him feeling a fresh voice was needed in the dressing room if Scotland are to make history at Euro 2028.

He has since spoken with new head coach Sébastien Pocognoli to wish him well, and believes the tournament's host-nation qualification rules give Scotland a significant opportunity — noting that two spots in the finals will be reserved for the best-ranked hosts who have not already qualified automatically.

It is a frank, somewhat unvarnished account of a manager who clearly felt under-valued at moments, yet never lost sight of his own standards. Whether the SFA will reflect carefully on the drawn-out contract saga is another matter — but Clarke, at least, appears to have left on his own terms.

Frequently asked

Why did Steve Clarke leave the Scotland manager's job?
Clarke resigned after Scotland failed to get out of the group stage at the World Cup this summer. He has since said he always intended to leave if they didn't progress beyond the groups, regardless of his contract situation.
Who is the new Scotland manager after Steve Clarke?
Sébastien Pocognoli has taken charge as Scotland's new head coach. Clarke revealed he spoke to Pocognoli after the appointment to wish him well.
How did Scotland do at the 2025 World Cup?
Scotland beat Haiti 1-0 in their opening group game but lost 1-0 to Morocco and then 3-0 to Brazil, finishing third in their group and failing to advance to the knockout rounds.