Scotland manager Steve Clarke stated he is completely unconcerned about clarifying his contract status before the World Cup, even though his tenure officially concludes after the tournament. Clarke, who took the reins in May 2019, previously indicated a desire for resolution beforehand, perhaps eyeing a return to club management, but has now shifted focus entirely to performance.

This change in priority followed Scotland’s second friendly defeat of the break, a 1-0 loss to Ivory Coast in Liverpool on Tuesday evening. The team had also fallen 1-0 to Japan days earlier, prompting some frustration from the support, evidenced by sporadic booing heard at both half-time and full-time at Goodison Park.

Clarke defended his squad's effort against the African side, arguing they did not deserve the defeat after starting brightly before conceding a poor counter-attacking goal. He stressed the necessity for the players to maintain the right frame of mind for the upcoming World Cup where they face Haiti, Morocco, and Brazil in the group stage.

He emphasized the need for better quality and composure in the final third, acknowledging Ivory Coast’s defensive strength in the second half. The team has two more warm-up fixtures against Curacao and Bolivia before heading to the USA for their first major tournament appearance in 28 years, making focus paramount over administrative details.