Steve Clarke said it was the right time to step away from the Scotland job, ending his spell as Scotland Men’s Head Coach. Gareth Southgate is part of the same live football thread, but the immediate change is at Scotland, where the succession issue now sits with the national side.
Steve Clarke, Scotland Men
Clarke used the line “right time to step away” as the clearest sign that his exit was his choice. That makes the handover more than a routine announcement. Scotland now has to move from a settled coaching voice to a search for the next Head Coach.
The live blog also carried World Cup 2026 updates, and that is the backdrop to the timing. Brazil were due to play Japan in Houston at 12 noon, while Canada reached the last 16 with a win over South Africa.
Sam Kerr, Chelsea
The same football bulletin also carried Sam Kerr’s move from West London to Gotham FC in the National Women’s Soccer League. Gotham announced the signing on Monday on a deal that runs through 2030 after she spent the past six-plus seasons in West London.
Chelsea’s own account of the split is where the friction sits. The club said: “Chelsea FC appreciates the 2025/26 season was a hugely disappointing one for the club and its supporters. A major contributing factor was the disruption caused as a result of changes that the club was forced to make to the head coach position over the Christmas period.”
Enzo Maresca, Manchester City
That statement points back to the earlier chain of events, when Chelsea said in autumn last year that it had been informed by its former head coach that there might be an opportunity for him to succeed Pep Guardiola at the end of the season. In December 2025, Chelsea’s head coach resigned, and Enzo Maresca was later confirmed as Manchester City’s new manager.
For Scotland, the key issue is simple: Clarke’s departure opens the seat at the top of the men’s team, and the first unanswered question is who takes it next. The live blog moved on to other football, but this one leaves Scotland with a vacancy to fill and a direction to settle.
