Don't change Scotland manager - Steve Clarke defended amid criticism and calls for 'knee-jerk' action

Steven Naismith has mounted a robust defence of Scotland manager Steve Clarke, insisting he has made ‘massive strides’ in improving the national team.

Scotland manager Steve Clarke has received some criticism in the aftermath of last week's World Cup play-off semi-final defeat against Ukraine at Hampden. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Clarke was on the receiving end of considerable criticism in the wake of last Wednesday’s World Cup play-off semi-final defeat against Ukraine at Hampden which has extended the country’s absence from the final stages of the tournament to at least 28 years.

But Scotland coach Naismith, who played under five different managers and was part of seven failed qualification campaigns during his 51-cap international playing career, has hit back at any suggestion Clarke should be replaced.

“There is going to be disappointment – I think the manager expects that and people are going to have their say,” said Naismith as Scotland gear up for the start of their UEFA Nations League campaign against Armenia at Hampden on Wednesday.

Scotland coach Steven Naismith during a training session at Oriam in Edinburgh ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Nations League opener against Armenia at Hampden. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

“But history shows you that changing the manager and just saying ‘it’s not worked, next, next, next...’ – it doesn’t help.

“The gaffer has a great relationship with this squad and the squad have a great relationship with him. Within the squad, it’s brilliant.

“So I think it would be a knee-jerk reaction for anybody to do that. Whether it’s straight after the game, in the heat of the moment, if people are saying that.

“Look at where we’ve come from. We have made massive strides. There was a nine game unbeaten run when we qualified for Euro 2020 and even in the World Cup group stage campaign, there was the eight game run and the amount of points we collected.

“When you look at the bigger picture, we are heading in the right direction. For us to be disappointed we are not going to a World Cup right at the last stage is a bit of a change from when I was a player and you are going into the last two games of a group stage campaign already knowing it’s not happening.

"So strides have been made. It’s definitely a period when the expectation within and without is that we can get to more tournaments. That starts on Wednesday night.

“The manager is very driven, whether that be short term goals, improvements within the squad, within the preparation, within the development of the players and coaches.

"He is driven on that front. In the longer term, he is driven to get to tournaments because he understands how good this group of players is.

"At the start of the Nations League last time, we had the likes of John McGinn, Andy Robertson and Scott McTominay breaking into their teams. Now we have about six club captains, guys who are winning trophies, guys who are main players in their club teams at a top level. It’s a good place to be. So it’s a bump in the road more than anything else.

"This is a setback. This is a disappointment. But we need to recognise how this feels and we need to recognise how getting to that Euros felt. Where do we want to be at the end of a campaign? That’s what’s got to be the driver.”