Who Replaces Steve Clarke? Postecoglou, Moyes and Naismith Lead the Scotland Shortlist

[Amber78]

The Scottish Football Association's immediate priority is finding a replacement for Steve Clarke before the Nations League campaign begins in September. The bookmakers and Scottish football pundits moved quickly on Saturday evening, with three names dominating the conversation: Ange Postecoglou, David Moyes and Steven Naismith. Each represents a fundamentally different vision for what Scottish football wants to become under its next manager, with a pivotal context the SFA cannot ignore: Scotland co-host Euro 2028 and automatically qualify as hosts, removing the pressure of qualification that defined Clarke's tenure.

Postecoglou is the glamour option. His attacking football philosophy transformed Celtic and generated genuine excitement at Tottenham before his departure. He is Scottish by adoption, deeply connected to the Celtic support and his style of football is the antithesis of the safety-first pragmatism Clarke used to reach three tournaments. The obstacle is finding a club willing to release him mid-season if he is still employed in August, and the salary expectations have shifted significantly since his Spurs stint. Moyes is the experienced option, a Scottish manager with Premier League pedigree whose defensive organisation could serve Scotland well in a tournament they do not need to qualify for. Naismith is the popular domestic option, already with the women's national team and deeply respected within Scottish football culture.

The decision will define Scottish football's trajectory for the next decade. Qualifying automatically for Euro 2028 as a co-host changes everything about the next manager's job description. Clarke's genius was getting Scotland to tournaments. His successor's task is actually performing at them. That is a completely different job requiring a completely different manager.

Steve Clarke steps down as Scotland boss after World Cup elimination confirmedwww.skysports.com