Steve Clarke expresses assertively that his relationship with Austin MacPhee remains stable despite a field-side disagreement in Munich.
Scotland’s strategist for set pieces encountered his manager’s disapproval following an inefficient free-kick strategy that left Clarke fairly irritated. While trailing the game in the second half at a gaping 4-0, an occasion to direct the ball into the opponents’ area was squandered, favouring a shorter pass which enabled Julian Nagelsmann’s team to seize control and launch another counteroffensive, which, however, Scotland survived.
Televised coverage captured Clarke’s irate reaction directed towards MacPhee – his arms wide in disbelief, wondering about the ill-advised plan he’d just witnessed. As the game moved toward additional time, Andy Robertson took advantage of a similar situation to swing in a cross, which resulted in Scott McKenna’s header being deflected into his own net by Antonio Rudiger, providing some relief. Yet, any repair to the goal difference damage was short lived as the hosting team added a fifth goal in Munich.
When probed about the on-field altercation during his pre-match summary, Clarke appeared to react sharply, stating that he did not even recall the incident. He retorted, “Is that a serious question? We’re fine,” “I don’t even remember it, we’re fine. You can expect emotions to run high on the touchline.”
When queried about whether this was the most challenging game of his Glasgow tenure, Clarke retained his sharp tone, stating, “I’ve had difficult games before, I’ll bounce back from this. I’ve never lost faith in my players.”
