Steve Clarke spoke about Scotland’s conflict with England at Wembley before Euro 2020 started and described how much rivalry means and what it is like to be on the winning side.
After a five-year stint at St Mirren, Clarke spent 11 years defending Chelsea and winning the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
When his playing career ended, he went into coaching and worked under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea before taking managerial roles at West Brom, Reading and Kilmarnock.
Scotland called in 2019 and Clarke wasted some time improving them as the nation qualified for Euro 2020 in dramatic style, beating both Israel and Serbia on penalties.
The Scots lost their opening match to the Czech Republic, but Friday’s clash with England at Wembley offers the perfect chance for them to get back on track.
Clarke during Scotland’s clash with the Czech Republic / (Photo by LEE SMITH / POOL / AFP) (Photo by LEE SMITH / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Asked to spend most of his career so far in England, Clarke said: “I think the jokes will always be there – it’s a historic football game. It’s very historic, it goes back a long way, it means a lot.
“And people say it does not mean much to the English, but after working in England I know it means a lot to the English; they do not want to lose to Scotland.
“And it’s the opposite. You know how passionate we are and how much we enjoy beating English. It hasn’t happened too much recently. But I’ve been part of troops beating England – I remember Richard Gough’s nod at Hampden. [Park] for a 1-0.
Clarke was in Scotland’s squad that beat England in 1985 / Getty Images / Getty Images
“I sat on the bench, I did not get on the pitch. But it’s always nice to do it. And I think the English are trying to play it down like, ‘It’s just little Scotland,’ but it means a lot to the English too, so it should be a good game. Roll on June 18! “
