Steve Clarke’s resignation is called a ‘kneejerk’ reaction as a former Everton player puts forward his name to become Scotland’s next manager.

Steve Clarke’s decision to step down as Scotland head coach has been described as a “kneejerk” reaction by former Scotland and Everton striker Duncan Ferguson, who admitted he was stunned by the timing of the resignation following the national team’s disappointing World Cup campaign.

Clarke, 62, announced his resignation shortly after Scotland’s elimination from the World Cup group stage on Saturday night, ending a seven-year spell in charge of the national side. His departure came despite recently agreeing to a new four-year contract before the tournament, leaving many surprised by the speed of his decision.

Duncan Ferguson has questioned Clarke’s decision to leave. | Getty Images

Although some supporters and pundits have sympathised with Clarke following Scotland’s failure to progress beyond the group stage, Ferguson believes the experienced coach should have taken more time to reflect before walking away from the role.

Speaking to ITV Sport, Ferguson admitted the news caught him completely off guard and questioned whether Clarke had made the decision too quickly in the emotional aftermath of Scotland’s exit.

“I was really surprised,” Ferguson explained. “When I heard Steve Clarke had resigned, it came as a shock. To me, it feels like he has reacted too quickly after the disappointment. It all happened almost immediately after the tournament ended, and I think he may have made the decision in the heat of the moment.”

Ferguson highlighted Clarke’s achievements during his time in charge, pointing to the progress Scotland made under his leadership. The former Everton striker praised the outgoing manager for restoring belief within the national team and guiding Scotland to consecutive European Championships before reaching the World Cup.

“He’s done a tremendous job for Scotland,” Ferguson continued. “Qualifying for two European Championships and then reaching a World Cup was a significant achievement. Considering everything he accomplished, I thought he deserved more time to think things through before making such a major decision.”

One of Ferguson’s biggest concerns was the fact Clarke had recently committed his future to the Scottish Football Association by signing a long-term extension. He struggled to understand why the manager would agree to a new four-year deal only to resign within such a short period.

“That’s what confuses me,” Ferguson said. “If you’ve just signed a contract that keeps you in the job for another four years, you’d expect that you’re planning to build for the future. That’s why this decision seems so unexpected. Maybe he had already been thinking about leaving for some time, but from the outside, it feels very sudden.”

Ferguson also acknowledged that every football manager lives with regrets after major tournaments, especially when results fail to meet expectations. He suggested Clarke would naturally reflect on team selection, tactics and other decisions that could have altered Scotland’s fortunes.

“As managers, you always look back and wonder if you could have done something differently,” he explained. “You think about different formations, different players or moments during games that might have changed everything. That’s part of football.”

Despite Scotland’s early exit, Ferguson felt expectations should remain realistic. He pointed out that Scotland faced strong opposition during the tournament and insisted they were never among the favourites to challenge for the trophy.

“They lost to Brazil, which is no disgrace, and they competed well against Morocco,” Ferguson noted. “Realistically, Scotland were never expected to win the World Cup. Of course, everyone wanted them to qualify from the group, but we also have to recognise the level of the teams they were playing against.”

He did admit Scotland missed an opportunity to improve their chances after failing to score enough goals against Haiti, believing a stronger performance in that match might have changed the outcome of the group standings.

“If they had been more clinical against Haiti and scored a few more goals, maybe things would have looked different,” he added. “Small margins can decide tournaments.”

Ferguson also speculated that criticism directed at Clarke during and after the tournament may have played a role in the manager’s decision to resign, although he admitted he could only guess at the reasons behind it.

“Perhaps the criticism got to him,” Ferguson said. “Maybe he felt under pressure and decided enough was enough. I don’t know Steve personally, so I can’t say for certain, but it’s possible he reacted emotionally after everything that happened.”

Attention has now turned to who could replace Clarke as Scotland’s next head coach. Ferguson, who has previous managerial experience with Inverness and Forest Green Rovers and also worked alongside Carlo Ancelotti as an assistant at Everton, revealed he would happily discuss the vacancy if approached.

“If the Scottish FA want to speak to me, they know where to find me,” Ferguson joked. “I’d definitely be willing to have that conversation. Unfortunately, they haven’t picked up the phone yet.”

While stopping short of launching a serious campaign for the position, Ferguson admitted managing the national team would be an honour.

He also stressed his preference for Scotland appointing another Scottish coach rather than looking overseas for Clarke’s successor.

“For me, I’d like to see a Scottish manager leading Scotland,” Ferguson said. “I think England should have an English manager, Germany should have a German manager, and I feel the same about Scotland. I know not everyone agrees with that view, but that’s my opinion.”

However, Ferguson acknowledged that identifying the right candidate may not be straightforward. He questioned whether there are currently enough high-profile Scottish managers available who possess the experience required to continue the progress Clarke made over the last seven years.

“It won’t be an easy appointment,” he concluded. “The challenge is finding someone who can do as good a job as Steve Clarke has done. Whoever takes over has big shoes to fill because he leaves behind a team that has made genuine progress under his leadership.”