Sheffield Wednesday: Liam Palmer sends classy Steve Clarke message after Scotland exit | OneFootball

The Scotland boss has stepped down from his role after their World Cup exit

Scotland are on the hunt for a new manager after Steve Clarke decided to step away from his post, following their group stage exit at the 2026 World Cup.

Clarke had been in post for seven years and oversaw Scotland's qualification for back-to-back European Championships after a 30-year absence, and a World Cup this summer for the first time since 1998.

Unfortunately, all three of those tournaments saw the Tartan Army fall at the first hurdle. They failed to win in any of their six games at the Euros, and while this summer's World Cup began on the front foot with a win over Haiti, losses against Morocco and Brazil saw them eliminated.

Clarke admitted that stepping away was an easy decision, despite signing a new four-year deal ahead of the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

But, with the National Team experiencing more success over the past eight years than they had in the previous 20, there'll be some who will be devastated at the news.

Liam Palmer's message to Steve Clarke after he stepped down as Scotland manager

Action Images

Sheffield Wednesday legend Liam Palmer only made eight caps for the senior Scotland side, but the majority of them came under Steve Clarke.

After Alex McLeish handed him his debut in qualification for the 2020 European Championships in March 2019, he wouldn't be seen in a Scotland shirt until October later that year under Clarke, when he started the final four games in the qualification group.

He was called up to the squad that beat Serbia on penalties to qualify for the Euros, which was delayed until 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, but, unfortunately for him, wouldn't be selected for the tournament itself.

Nevertheless, the Wednesday captain was grateful that he was selected under Clarke, and congratulated the 62-year-old for all he accomplished in the dugout for the Scottish national team on LinkedIn.

"It was an honour to be selected in Steve Clarke's first few Scotland squads," he said.

"From playing in front of a half-empty Hampden Park, through the challenges of COVID, reconnecting the team and supporters to qualifying for Euro 2020 — Scotland's first major tournament in over 20 years — it was an incredible journey to be a part of. Being part of that night in Serbia, and the celebrations that followed, will stay with me for a long time.

"As disappointed as I was not to make the final 26-man squad, Steve was always open and honest with me. He always took the time to reply whenever I messaged him, and I had nothing but respect for the way he handled those conversations.

"Since then, watching the squad and the nation go from strength to strength, qualifying for major tournaments on a regular basis, has been fantastic to see. None more so than my trip to Boston a few weeks ago. Seeing the Tartan Army out in full force was a thing of beauty.

"The performances may not always have matched the support, but a whole generation of Scotland fans now know what it feels like to follow their country on the world's biggest stage. That's something I never thought they'd experience again.

"I hope the kids watching have been inspired by this group of players, who are rightly heroes and role models for so many young Scots."

Palmer has always been credited as being one of the more classy individuals in the game, and he has plenty of respect amongst fans, critics and coaches alike.

That feeling, evidently, is mutual, even if Clarke decided to omit him from Scotland's first major tournament in over 20 years. He looked past that to congratulate him on a successful seven-year stint, which saw the Tartan Army mix it up with some of the world's best once again.

Liam Palmer's message could bode well for Burnley this summer

Action Images

Steve Clarke may not be out of management for long, as he's become the next man associated with the Burnley job this summer, according to Football Insider.

The Scotsman hasn't been in club management since leaving Kilmarnock for the national team job in 2019, and you'd have to go all the way back to December 2015 to the last time he managed in the EFL, where he was in charge of Reading.

But, it seems, especially in the last seven years, the 62-year-old has begun to establish himself as a top coach who has the respect of the majority of players he has come across, even those who may have felt hard done by due to his decisions.

The Clarets need someone to steady the ship ahead of what is set to be an important year, given their pedigree in the Championship over recent campaigns at the level, and perhaps Clarke is the man for it.