Ian Maxwell says Scotland's search for Steve Clarke's successor is already under way, with interested coaches contacting the SFA within hours of Clarke stepping down. Maxwell also made clear the governing body are not narrowing the field yet. "Nothing is off the table," he said, as the hunt opens with September fixtures looming.
The SFA's open-minded approach
Maxwell's wording was blunt enough. "We need to cast the net as wide as we can," he said, adding that the priority is finding "the right coach" rather than worrying about where that coach comes from. That leaves room for a foreign appointment, but it does not promise one. The only firm line is that Scotland want a manager quickly, not a long wait for the perfect shortlist.
The timing is already tight. Maxwell said the SFA have September Nations League games and a four-game window at the end of that month coming up. That gives the next appointment a near-term test straight away, and it explains why the first messages arrived so quickly after Clarke's exit.
Clarke's decision after the Brazil defeat
There is a reason the departure feels final rather than abrupt. Maxwell said he spoke to Clarke and that the former head coach "made up his mind that he wanted to step down" after the Brazil game. Scotland's 0-3 defeat in that final World Cup group match sat at the centre of the collapse, with the team finishing on 3 points from 9 and a goal difference of -3.
That record helps explain why the job is open now, and why the search has moved so fast. Maxwell did not dress it up as a dramatic reset. He presented it as a vacancy that had to be dealt with immediately, because Scotland already have competitive fixtures waiting in September.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →