There are layers to Scotland’s failure.
Some blame the manager’s inability to get the best out of his group of players and wanted him removed. Some cut the manager some slack by saying the players, though hard-working and fiercely determined, are over-praised and over-rated at this level.
Others look deeper at the woeful inability of the Scottish game to develop athletic young talent and the aversion that top-flight clubs have in giving youngsters a chance of first team football and say what hope have you got.
The truth is that it’s a mix of all of these things – plus other things.
Scotland were in an extremely tough group with the world’s fifth and sixth-best teams. One win and two defeats is what most people should have expected, albeit the win was hairy and unimpressive.
There was nothing surprising about what Scotland did, or did not do, against Morocco and Brazil. Those teams are better, pure and simple.
Clarke is being pilloried for being overly negative in the way he set his team up, when he really wasn’t. He’s getting hammered for not getting the best out of what he had. That’s a moot point.
He’s been in charge for seven years and has taken Scotland to three major championships. That’s a fine legacy, and it has now reached its end point despite just signing a new deal.
