Scotland boss Steve Clarke fronts up on reasons behind 5-1 humbling, MacPhee spat and player who needed cuddle

Steve Clarke had not been expected to attend a press conference on Sunday afternoon. It’s safe to say that had Scotland beaten Germany 5-1 on Friday night in Munich, then the Scotland manager would have spent his Sabbath afternoon somewhere other than the Olympia stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

However, because Scotland lost that Euro 2024 opener 5-1, and did so in especially dispiriting fashion, it meant Clarke felt an obligation to conduct the briefing in the building that is doubling as the Scottish Football Association’s base for media operations in Germany.

"This is my job," he said. "This is not a job for a coach. It wasn’t for one of my coaches to come here."

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke with Ryan Porteous (centre) during a training session at Stadion am Groben in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Picture date: Sunday June 16, 2024.

The always reliable and sensible Callum McGregor had spoken on behalf of the players the previous afternoon, using terms such as “embarrassment” to describe the emotions coursing through the squad. He also vowed they would do everything in their power to make it up to the fans.

But Clarke knew it was a manager’s responsibility to face the music and he had to do so before Tuesday, which was the next time he was scheduled to speak in public. This is what's termed in football governing body-land as "match day minus one"- or MD-1. In other words, the night before the now vital Group A clash against Switzerland.

Clarke wanted to try to clear the air in this mountainous idyll. A nation was hurting. It wasn't only lonely eyes that were turning towards him. Some anger was too. While it is not quite at crisis point in that Scotland can repair the damage caused by the scale of Friday’s defeat, some crisis management was required.

Clarke seemed aware that a short and at times quite sharp press conference in the immediate aftermath of the Germany defeat had not been especially satisfying for anyone – neither him nor reporters.

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke speaks to captain Andy Robertson during a training session at Stadion am Groben in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Picture date: Sunday June 16, 2024.

Around 40 hours later, we tried again. How has he been occupying his time since? “Kicking a couple of backsides, giving a couple of cuddles,” he said. “Getting them together as a group, making them understand why we had that performance on Friday night and making sure we don’t have that again. I am always confident in my players. I am confident in myself.”

He has, though, been questioning himself. "I start with myself," he said. "Maybe I gave too much information which clouded the players on the pitch in terms of what we do with the ball and what we do without the ball.

“So we can work on that. We did this morning and will for the next two days going into the game on Wednesday night. Hopefully we will see a different performance."

Normally, reporters would be keen to move the story on and address the upcoming match in the Cologne stadium. But not this time. Not when pictures of Scotland’s humiliation were still featuring all over German newspapers. Not when it was still the talk of the steamie. Or, more accurately, the bierhalles.

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke during a press conference at the Garmisch Olympia Stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Picture date: Sunday June 16, 2024.

"Listen, there are no excuses,” said Clarke. “When you lose a game 5-1, and I have been in this a long time, you have to take all the criticism that comes. You have to respond. The good thing for me is, I have been in this position before. I have always responded pretty well. The players have always responded pretty well. I talk all the time about how the players respond. So that’s what we will try to do.”

He noted that Scotland have done it before, although the margin for error is smaller now than it was in 2020. A 2-0 defeat to Czech Republic in the opening game at Euro 2020 meant the pressure was on at Wembley, where Clarke's side met England. A 0-0 draw that saw Scotland take the game to their rivals at times kept things very much alive.

"We had to go to the second game in the last Euros with a similar idea," said Clarke. "We still had an outside chance with the goal difference. This time the goal difference part of it – three points, zero goal difference – is gone. That safety net is gone. We know that. So we have to get four points from our next two games.”

Ryan Porteous is not available for selection for the next game. It's fair to wonder if the defender's head will even be in the right place to see him considered for the last one, the potentially decisive clash with Hungary in Stuttgart, following his red card against Germany.

“He was one of my cuddles," revealed Clarke. “Ryan hasn’t been sent off for a couple of years. He has been great for us since I gave him his chance against Ukraine…The one the other night, he tried to stop a clear goal scoring opportunity. He definitely went in too hard.

"We are all pleased that (Ilkay) Gundogan seems to have no lasting damage. It’s something that Ryan will learn from but it was an honest challenge to try and stop a goal, to try and stop an opportunity. I wouldn’t be too hard on him.

“He is very down,” added Clarke. “As you would expect. But we will pick him back up, don’t worry.”

There was another issue from Friday night to pick over, his so-called heated exchange with Austin MacPhee, Scotland’s set-piece coach.

Clarke confirmed that he had vented some ire at his coach but that it was MacPhee's misfortune to be standing where he was. “It was really simple," he said. "I’m frustrated on the touchline, everybody is frustrated,” he said. “You get these moments all the time but you don't normally see it because we are tucked under a canopy.

“Austin just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time as I turned round after taking a short free-kick when we should have been putting the ball into the box, as we did when we scored the goal.

“It wasn’t Austin’s fault because players make that decision on the pitch, and we got counter-attacked. I’m thinking ‘We’ve lost enough goals Austin, we don’t need to lose any more goals…’ We just had a little discussion, that was all."

There was no need to make up, he added, because there had been no falling-out. "I know he’s got long blond hair but I am not going to give him a cuddle,” he smiled.

It might ordinarily be an ice hockey venue, but everything was thawing out. Someone asked whether he would be watching the England game later.

“Who are they playing?” Clarke wondered. Was that a serious question? It seems that it was. Serbia, he was informed. “I think I will be supporting Gareth and his boys,” he said.