Postecoglou to Scotland would be ‘interesting phenomenon’ – Jordan on SFA hunt

Scotland have begun the search for a new head coach after Steve Clarke’s shock departure following the nation’s early exit from the World Cup, with chief executive Ian Maxwell confirming the SFA will “cast the net” wide for his replacement.

Clarke’s exit comes just weeks after he signed a new four-year contract, and follows Scotland’s failure to progress from the group stage for a third successive major tournament. He leaves after almost seven years in charge, a spell that included memorable wins over Denmark and Spain and ended a long absence from tournament football for the Tartan Army.

Postecoglou touted as a wildcard

Among the names being discussed as potential successors is former Celtic and Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, currently working in England’s top flight. Speaking on talkSPORT, pundit Simon Jordan gave his take on the Australian’s suitability for the Scotland job.

“Unless he’s going to sacrifice some salary, because obviously everything is done for the love and not the money of course, then he’s not going to manage Scotland,” Jordan said. “But he would be an interesting phenomenon because he would not be a problem for them in press conferences and to talk afterwards.”

Jordan added: “He’d probably not be a prickly sod like he was when he was getting put under pressure at Spurs, but he’d still have his say. The players would probably elevate a little bit but he’s still got the same materials to work with.”

The pundit went on to question whether Postecoglou would see the Scotland role as a step he’d be willing to take. “The problem with Postecoglou is that in his own mind’s eye, he is still an elite manager,” he said. “So with that in mind, he is not going to want to manage Scotland because it won’t give him the outcomes he thinks he’s potentially entitled to.”

SFA looking beyond Scottish borders

Scotland have only ever appointed one foreign-born manager in their history, German-born Berti Vogts, but there is a growing sense that could change this time around. With Maxwell signalling a willingness to look overseas, a list of candidates from across Europe has already begun to circulate among reporters and pundits.

Clarke’s departure has divided opinion among supporters. While there is disappointment at Scotland’s record once they reached major tournaments, many acknowledge his role in ending years of missed qualification and restoring the country to regular tournament football.

Midfielder Lewis Ferguson was among those to publicly thank Clarke and the Tartan Army following the squad’s return from the World Cup, reflecting the mixed emotions inside the camp as the search begins for the man to lead Scotland into Euro 2028 qualifying.

Read more: McDonald: Celtic need TWO proven strikers, not just one, to fix goal shortage