Thank you Steve Clarke

[fraz65]

Qualification for three major tournaments in a row after 20 years in the wilderness.

There were some absolutely brilliant moments during his tenure- the win over Spain, the penalty shootout versus Serbia, the Denmark game and lots of others. 

Hopefully we're as fortunate with his successor. 

 

[kumnio]

31 minutes ago, fraz65 said:

Qualification for three major tournaments in a row after 20 years in the wilderness.

There were some absolutely brilliant moments during his tenure- the win over Spain, the penalty shootout versus Serbia, the Denmark game and lots of others. 

Hopefully we're as fortunate with his successor. 

Nope.

[DoonTheSlope]

8 minutes ago, kumnio said:

Nope.

This myth keeps popping up 

It’s like the myth Scotland went unbeaten in 2017

[onthe45]

1 hour ago, fraz65 said:

Qualification for three major tournaments in a row after 20 years in the wilderness.

There were some absolutely brilliant moments during his tenure- the win over Spain, the penalty shootout versus Serbia, the Denmark game and lots of others. 

Hopefully we're as fortunate with his successor. 

 

It wasn’t three in a row, but I appreciate the sentiment of the thread and some nice words about a Scotland manager on here.

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I think karma might be about to catch up with all those who have wished him out of the job and sadly that means the rest of us will suffer too. The grass on this occasion will not be greener on the other side.

[fraz65]

41 minutes ago, onthe45 said:

It wasn’t three in a row, but I appreciate the sentiment of the thread and some nice words about a Scotland manager on here.

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I think karma might be about to catch up with all those who have wished him out of the job and sadly that means the rest of us will suffer too. The grass on this occasion will not be greener on the other side.

Yep it may well be a case of careful what you wish for. 

There are many similarities with the end of Craig Brown's time in charge. 

[Toepoke]

I echo the OP and thank Steve Clarke for a great seven years. Three qualifications out of four and a World Cup play-off (the then best finish for that since the 90s).

It's an unfortunately low bar, but I think he edges out Craig Brown as Scotland's best manager. Hopefully to be surpassed by our next appointment.

 

[MacGuff]

 

[Robbo `81]

I think it is perfectly reasonable to consider Steve Clarke to be a 'good' Scotland Manager overall but also one who was atrocious at tournaments themselves.

 

Let's be honest Scotland stunk the place out in 2024 & 2026, mainly due to the Manager's tactics, overly cautious approach and general lack of belief in his own players.

 

Regardless of quality of opposition, percentage chances of qualification projections etc the squads in 24 & 26 were capable of getting 4 pts from 3 games and progressing from the groups. That they didn't is on tge Manager for reasons stated imo.

 

I also feel there might be a generational thing at play in how he is judged as well, For Scotland fans of post 98, simply qualifying for 3 tournaments in 6 years after all the barren years may be sufficient, but for the likes of myself, born right at start of a purple patch of getting to World Cups, and latterly Euros, thete is no novelty in 'qualifying' - Simple 'being there' ceased to be enough for me well before even 98 , even taking into account the dark days of the 2000's and 2010s. 

[vanderark14]

Been a good run and he got us back on the world stage. Time now to focus on the next chapter and hope the next manager gets us to the Euros in two years and into the knockout stages

16 minutes ago, Toepoke said:

I echo the OP and thank Steve Clarke for a great seven years. Three qualifications out of four and a World Cup play-off (the then best finish for that since the 90s).

It's an unfortunately low bar, but I think he edges out Craig Brown as Scotland's best manager. Hopefully to be surpassed by our next appointment.

 

 

1 hour ago, fraz65 said:

Yep it may well be a case of careful what you wish for. 

There are many similarities with the end of Craig Brown's time in charge. 

Craig Brown's last campaign was a failure to qualify for a world cup and failure to get to the Euros before that too. Clarke has left us after we've just played at a world cup. I believe the squad left by Brown was older too, I could be wrong on the age of the squad. 

Scotland is in a strong position right now compared to 2002. A manager has something to build on whilst Brown's successor didn't have much to build on. 

The only similarity I can see if its unknown where we will go from here, will we go downhill or will we excel. 

[Robbo `81]

1 hour ago, vanderark14 said:

Been a good run and he got us back on the world stage. Time now to focus on the next chapter and hope the next manager gets us to the Euros in two years and into the knockout stages

 

Craig Brown's last campaign was a failure to qualify for a world cup and failure to get to the Euros before that too. Clarke has left us after we've just played at a world cup. I believe the squad left by Brown was older too, I could be wrong on the age of the squad. 

Scotland is in a strong position right now compared to 2002. A manager has something to build on whilst Brown's successor didn't have much to build on. 

The only similarity I can see if its unknown where we will go from here, will we go downhill or will we excel. 

Overall I liked Craig Brown and think he done well as Scotland Manager - But imo his most glaring mistake was failing to end Scotland careers after France 98 - I think we felt the knock on effect of that for a long time.

We'll never know obviously, but had he resigned and been replaced by a Manager not as reluctant to weild the axe on 'his' players I'm confident we wouldn't have waited 28 years for another World Cup.

 

Now that SC has left, I wonder which camp the next Manager will fall into, but, for me he needs to be willing to end Scotland careers

Edited June 30 by Robbo `81
Typo

[JECK]

There will forever be great memories but on the flip side the absolute disasters at 3 tournaments. 

Some amazing memories in qualifiers - was just thinking earlier back to those long Covid autumn nights where we started to see green shoots, a solid team forming, and battling through playoffs etc. It’s certainly been an eventful 7 year period of being a Scotland fan. But ultimately still got an overriding feeling of dejection especially 24’ and last week where you almost can’t understand how it could get so bad. Trying not to follow football at the moment and certainly avoiding the World Cup.

[onthe45]

19 minutes ago, JECK said:

There will forever be great memories but on the flip side the absolute disasters at 3 tournaments. 

Some amazing memories in qualifiers - was just thinking earlier back to those long Covid autumn nights where we started to see green shoots, a solid team forming, and battling through playoffs etc. It’s certainly been an eventful 7 year period of being a Scotland fan. But ultimately still got an overriding feeling of dejection especially 24’ and last week where you almost can’t understand how it could get so bad. Trying not to follow football at the moment and certainly avoiding the World Cup.

We got horrible draws in both tournaments and came up against teams that were better than us. That’s just our level unfortunately.

[exile]

6 hours ago, onthe45 said:

It wasn’t three in a row, but I appreciate the sentiment of the thread and some nice words about a Scotland manager on here.

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I think karma might be about to catch up with all those who have wished him out of the job and sadly that means the rest of us will suffer too. The grass on this occasion will not be greener on the other side.

Where did you mention this elsewhere, I wonder?

I seem to have a memory dawning on me, that there was someone on this board before, who said something like "I'm out of here, until Clarke is gone, and then you'll be sorry, and then I'll come back and tell you so." Ring any bells?

[onthe45]

3 minutes ago, exile said:

Where did you mention this elsewhere, I wonder?

I seem to have a memory dawning on me, that there was someone on this board before, who said something like "I'm out of here, until Clarke is gone, and then you'll be sorry, and then I'll come back and tell you so." Ring any bells?

I mentioned on the ‘New Manager’ thread, a couple of hours before that, that someone who was glad to see the back of Clarke was in for a rude awakening. That’s what I was referring to.

[vanderark14]

4 minutes ago, onthe45 said:

I mentioned on the ‘New Manager’ thread, a couple of hours before that, that someone who was glad to see the back of Clarke was in for a rude awakening. That’s what I was referring to.

That person didn't say he was glad Clarke was gone you silly little boy.

This is definitely chripper, arguing with points that aren't even made 

[exile]

Just now, vanderark14 said:

That person didn't say he was glad Clarke was gone you silly little boy.

This is definitely chripper, arguing with points that aren't even made 

You are living up to your "Interests" (aside from Fitba, Rugby and Tennis) 😉

[onthe45]

6 minutes ago, exile said:

You are living up to your "Interests" (aside from Fitba, Rugby and Tennis) 😉

Have they just edited that into their interests, or has that been on their profile a long time?

What did chripper do that caused people on here to be so obsessed with them?

And also, when was this, because I was a member from probably around 2005-2020 and I don’t remember anyone called chripper, or anyone being egregiously more annoying than everyone else?!

[exile]

6 minutes ago, onthe45 said:

Have they just edited that into their interests, or has that been on their profile a long time?

What did chripper do that caused people on here to be so obsessed with them?

And also, when was this, because I was a member from probably around 2005-2020 and I don’t remember anyone called chripper, or anyone being egregiously more annoying than everyone else?!

What makes you think people are "obsessed" with Chripper, if you haven't been following the board since 2020?

 

Edited June 30 by exile

[onthe45]

4 minutes ago, exile said:

What makes you think people are "obsessed" with Chripper, if you haven't been following the board since 2020?

 

I read the board very occasionally - usually only around major tournaments - and whenever people get annoyed by another poster, they seem to very quickly jump to ‘is this chripper’?

Also, the fact that someone has chripper’s username in their profile, kind of suggests an obsession, doesn’t it?

I remember having lots of arguments with someone whose username was The Dark Knight or something similar, and even back then, everyone was saying ‘The Dark Knight must be chripper’. I don’t remember chripper though. What era are we talking and why are they so infamous on here?

[vanderark14]

31 minutes ago, exile said:

You are living up to your "Interests" (aside from Fitba, Rugby and Tennis) 😉

🤣

I think I added that just after chripper had a dig at my interests and never changed it back

 

[exile]

 

20 minutes ago, onthe45 said:

I read the board very occasionally - usually only around major tournaments - and whenever people get annoyed by another poster, they seem to very quickly jump to ‘is this chripper’?

Also, the fact that someone has chripper’s username in their profile, kind of suggests an obsession, doesn’t it?

I remember having lots of arguments with someone whose username was The Dark Knight or something similar, and even back then, everyone was saying ‘The Dark Knight must be chripper’. I don’t remember chripper though. What era are we talking and why are they so infamous on here?

You seem to have a very good memory of 'lots of arguments', for someone last a member in 2020.

Edited June 30 by exile

[JECK]

Chipper was 100pc bonny78 aswell

[onthe45]

Just now, exile said:

 

You seem to have a very good memory of TAMB arguments, for someone last a member in 2020.

I can’t remember what the arguments were about, but I remember being completely riled up by The Dark Knight, to the point of wanting to throw my computer out the window!

The username has stayed with me, so I understand why the chripper username has stayed with other people on here.

[exile]

3 minutes ago, onthe45 said:

I can’t remember what the arguments were about, but I remember being completely riled up by The Dark Knight, to the point of wanting to throw my computer out the window!

The username has stayed with me, so I understand why the chripper username has stayed with other people on here.

I thought the Dark Knight was later than 2020. But I'm not that fussed about the past. I hope you can stay unriled. 

[onthe45]

1 minute ago, exile said:

I thought the Dark Knight was later than 2020. But I'm not that fussed about the past. I hope you can stay unriled. 

I don’t think so, but I might have got my dates slightly off. That seems longer ago than that to me.

I’m frustrated at being accused of being someone I’m not, but I don’t plan to be on this board for very long after the World Cup anyway.