Scottish FA Nears Appointment of New Head Coach as Nations League Approaches

The Steve Clarke era is over. Its replacement is coming fast.

The Scottish FA is in the final stages of appointing a new head coach, with talks now advanced as the search for Clarke’s successor moves towards a conclusion.

Clarke, who had signed a new four-year deal as recently as May, walked away after Scotland’s group-stage exit at the World Cup in the summer, bringing a seven-year spell to an abrupt end. A reign that dragged the national team back to major tournaments has finished with a jolt, and the SFA hierarchy knows there is no time to dwell.

Scotland are back in competitive action next month. The Nations League returns with a demanding four-game block, starting away to Slovenia on 26 September. A new voice needs to be in place – and quickly.

The process has been led by chief executive Ian Maxwell and Craig Mulholland, the SFA’s chief football officer since May. They have cast the net wide, speaking to a broad range of candidates from the UK and abroad, with interviews already conducted and the shortlist effectively set.

The profile of the chosen coach remains under wraps. It is not yet clear whether the next head coach will be a Scot steeped in the domestic game or a foreign appointment bringing a different outlook to Hampden. What is clear is that the decision is close.

Inside the current set-up, there is at least one familiar face expecting to stay. Steven Naismith, Clarke’s assistant during the World Cup campaign, said last month he anticipates remaining part of the national-team staff under the new manager. His continuity could offer a bridge between eras at a time of significant change.

The next appointment carries weight. A Nations League campaign is about to start, a squad needs re-energised after a bruising summer, and the momentum built under Clarke cannot be allowed to fade.

The SFA is almost ready to show who it trusts to pick that story up.