CLARKE’S LEARNED HOW TO PASS A BIG TEST
STEVE CLARKE’S education in management has been first class. He was an apprentice coach under the late, great Sir Bobby Robson at Newcastle United in the 1990s. His learning continued when he was by Jose Mourinho’s side at Chelsea as the Special One delivered Premier League success in 2005 and 2006.
And Clarke got a different kind of lesson during a turbulent period in Liverpool’s history as part of Kenny Dalglish’s brief rebuilding job at Anfield a decade ago.
The Scotland manager has worked alongside some of the greats but now, as his own man at Euro 2020, his country is ready to benefit from a lifetime of learning.
“He is really good at getting a lot out of you without doing a lot,” said Gary Dicker, Kilmarnock captain under Clarke when they qualified for Europe and finished third behind the Old Firm.
Clarke’s success at Killie effectively earned him the Scotland call and Dicker believes the Scots are capable of springing a surprise.
He said: “People won’t look at them as a threat but don’t underestimate them, especially with him in charge.
“Not one person in the squad will think they are starting. He has a hold over you in a way that’s hard to explain.
“You are always thinking, ‘Am I playing?’that’s a good thing.you could be man of the match one day and still panic about whether you will stay in the team.
“Everyone in that Scotland squad will think they have a chance of playing and that raises standards in training and keeps the intensity high.
“You see the likes of Jurgen Klopp on the pitch high-fiving players, he won’t be like that.
“He’s got a dry sense of humour. He could come in, give you a look, and he won’t even need to say well done.we would beat Celtic or Rangers and he would be calm as anything.
“He makes you have the belief that you can beat anyone.”
Clarke always likes his players to live on the edge in a game, but Dicker insists Scotland will use their heads as much as their hearts when they begin their Euro 2020 journey against Czech Republic tomorrow, before taking on England atwembley on Friday.
Dicker added: “He will have them fired up but not going around like headless chickens.they will do everything to win and be competitive and it will be done through organisation.”
Clarke has urged his players to show the same grit tomorrow that got them to the tournament.
Last November,
Clarke’s boys played Serbia off the park in their play-off tie before being hit by a late equaliser.that forced a penalty shoot-out and
Scotland emerged victorious to qualify.
Clarke said: “That night was the best we’ve played under me.
‘‘We showed our quality then, when we got a kick in the nuts in the last minute, we showed grit and determination to get through.
‘‘That really pleased me and it’s what we need to show again.’’