Steve Clarke forced to defend his record after nine-week silence

For a Trappist monk the reward for silence is an opening of the mind to the Holy Spirit, but all it got Steve Clarke was a line of edgy questions about whether he thought about quitting or regretted some dubious comments about an Argentine referee.

After 65 days the Scottish public finally got some words from the national manager for the first time since the lamentable campaign at Euro 2024. Clarke had not actually taken a vow of silence but whatever he had to say was not for public consumption. At last, at Hampden, he emerged in front of the microphones and defended himself.

The lack of a tournament debrief and reflection to appease a scunnered Tartan Army was always going to have a consequence.