Steve Clarke revealed he had to pressure the Scottish FA for a new deal before the World Cup, fearing they were hedging their bets. Negotiations dragged from April to May, with Clarke threatening to quit if an agreement wasn't reached. He eventually secured the contract, admitting the process was like "drawing teeth." Despite Scotland's World Cup exit, Clarke remains optimistic about the future.

He recently spoke with new head coach Sebastien Pocognoli, believing Scotland cannot fail to qualify for Euro 2028 given the expanded finals format. Clarke also spoke to senior players after the Brazil loss, sensing they need a different voice to make history at the 2028 tournament.