Euro 2020 – who is Scotland’s manager? Everything you need to know about Steve Clarke
Steve Clarke has previously managed West Bromwich Albion, Reading and Kilmarnock
![Steve Clarke](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DQsSvkaZimhLQCYRjvoaGk-320-80.jpg)
Steve Clarke will lead Scotland at Euro 2020, their first major tournament since the 1998 World Cup in France.
After more than two decades of trying, Scotland finally returned to the international stage at the end of an eventful qualification process.
They finished third in their group, behind Belgium and Russia, but entered the play-offs as a result of their performance in the Nations League.
Scotland managed to beat Israel and then Serbia, both on penalties, to secure their spot at the Euros in dramatic circumstances.
For Clarke, who won six caps for his country during his own playing career, it was a huge achievement just 18 months into his reign as manager.
A former Chelsea player, Clarke returned to the club as a youth coach, becoming assistant manager to Jose Mourinho in 2004.
He performed the same role at West Ham United and Liverpool before striking out on his own as West Bromwich Albion manager.
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Clarke led the Baggies to eighth in the Premier League, their highest finish since 1981, in his first season, before results worsened.
A brief spell at Reading followed, where he led them to the FA Cup semi-final, before embarking on his first managerial role in Scotland with Kilmarnock.
Clarke was a revelation, guiding the club to fifth and then third in the Scottish Premiership, winning a host of personal accolades along the way.
He stepped down in May 2019 to take the national team job after Alex McLeish’s second spell in charge reached a disastrous conclusion with a 3-0 defeat to Kazakhstan.
After a difficult start, Clarke found a system that worked and was able to get the best out of his leading players, including Andy Robertson and John McGinn.
Scotland have been drawn in Group D alongside England, Croatia and the Czech Republic, and are excited to see what the summer holds.
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