Scott Brown backs ‘fantastic’ Scotland boss Steve Clarke to stay in charge

Scott Brown hopes Steve Clarke will remain as Scotland head coach, insisting he has done a “fantastic job” since taking the reins.

Despite the disappointing group-stage exit from Euro 2024, the former Scotland midfielder backed Clarke – who is under contract for two more years – to stay in position and stressed he must do whatever it takes to be “the best we can”.

Clarke has guided the national team to back-to-back Euros, something Brown wishes he could have experienced as a player.

“I can’t say anything, I’ve never got to a Euros, so the lads did extremely well getting there and Steve’s done a fantastic job over the last couple of campaigns getting there,” the Celtic legend and current Ayr United manager said.

“It was an extremely hard start having the hosts [Germany] and the way they’re playing as well, they just hit forward at the right time, so it was always going to be hard after that game.

“That next level is very, very hard to get to.

“I hope he does [still have the appetite for the job] because it was a long time since France 98 and Steve’s managed to do it a couple of times on the bounce.

“We are a small country, but we’ll have to be ambitious, we have to try and fight.

“We have to be the best we possibly can be and if that means Steve nicking a few other players from somewhere else then by all means do that.”