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Steve Clarke has stated that stepping down as Scotland’s head coach was a clear-cut decision, explaining that he had always intended to leave the post if the World Cup campaign did not unfold as hoped, despite having signed a new contract only a month earlier.

The 62-year-old informed his players on Saturday evening at their hotel in Charlotte that he was ending his seven-year tenure, following confirmation that Scotland had failed to progress from a group featuring Brazil, Morocco, and Haiti.

The unexpected announcement came exactly one month after Clarke agreed to a new four-year deal, which would have covered both Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup.

Speaking in an interview with the Scottish Football Association reflecting on his time in charge, Clarke – who faced heavy criticism after back-to-back defeats against Morocco and Brazil – explained that his departure came simply because “that’s the feel”.

“Listen, what I wanted to make sure was that when I felt it was time to step away, it was time to step away,” Clarke said.

He added that signing the new contract before the World Cup was intended to give the squad a sense of stability and reassurance. “It was about giving a bit of comfort to the players, knowing that we could continue the journey,” he said.

“I always had in my mind that if we didn’t get out of the group – and that’s something we’ve tried to achieve in three successive tournaments now – then it was probably the right moment to move on. Obviously, if we’d managed that extra point and advanced, I would likely have stayed on for another tournament.”

When asked whether the decision came easily, Clarke responded philosophically: “Yes, in some ways it was easy because I already knew what I wanted to accomplish as a head coach. I’ve ticked all the boxes I set for myself.”

“I wanted to lead my country to a major tournament – I achieved that with the Euros. The first Euros in 2021 didn’t feel quite the same because of Covid restrictions. The second Euros were great; the results didn’t go as we hoped, but qualifying for Germany was a fantastic experience. My lifelong dream was to manage Scotland at a World Cup, and I’ve done that, so it feels like the right time to step aside.”

Clarke revealed that he informed the players of his decision at 7pm local time on Saturday, shortly after Scotland’s elimination from the tournament was confirmed. “It’s always emotional when you tell your players you’re stepping down after such a long journey together,” he said.

“Seven or eight of them have been with me since the beginning. It was vital that the players heard it from me first. Before I addressed the team, I told my captain, Andy Robertson, because I knew he’d want to share a few words in response. Saying goodbye to my staff and my players was emotional.”

Despite the criticism following Scotland’s early exit, Clarke insists he thoroughly enjoyed the World Cup experience. “I said I was going to enjoy it,” he recalled. “Walking out for the Haiti game, seeing the Scotland fans in their thousands and my family in the stands, was just an incredible moment.”

“The next two matches were tough – Morocco and Brazil are both strong teams capable of going deep into the tournament, and we competed with them, regardless of what others might think. Both matches were competitive. We showed a lot of character and played some good football. We couldn’t quite find the cutting edge in the final third, but that’s been a recurring challenge over the past seven years. Hopefully, my successor can find that final-third quality we’ve been chasing.”