The Scottish Football Association (SFA) is committed to casting a wide net in its search for a new head coach following Steve Clarke's resignation, according to SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell. Maxwell emphasized that no potential candidate is being ruled out as the governing body begins the process of identifying Clarke's successor.

Clarke, 62, informed the SFA hierarchy of his decision to step down on Saturday, just three days after Scotland's World Cup exit was confirmed. He had signed a four-year contract last month and is understood to have waived any claim to compensation.

"Nothing's off the table. We need to cast the net as far and wide as we can. It’s about getting the right coach, it’s not about necessarily where they come from," Maxwell said. "There’s a lot of good managers out there and it’s up to us to make sure that we pick the right one. The succession planning starts now."

Names such as Ange Postecoglou, David Moyes, and Alex Neil have already been linked with the vacant post. Maxwell indicated that the SFA is open-minded about the profile of the individual best suited to lead the national team forward. "Football’s a very, very small world," he added, noting that he had already received messages from interested parties.

Scotland's next fixtures are in the autumn's Nations League, with matches against North Macedonia, Slovenia, and Switzerland. Maxwell believes the job is attractive, especially with Scotland co-hosting Euro 2028. "We’ve got a Euros that we’re (co-hosting) in 2028 to look forward to. There’s been a lot of success over the last few years and we need to make sure that we appoint someone that can improve on that and continue to drive us forward."

While Maxwell expressed a desire to make an appointment "as soon as we can," he stressed that the priority is finding "the right person." He acknowledged the difficulty in setting a firm timeline, with important September fixtures approaching.

Clarke took charge of Scotland in 2019 and guided the men's team to their first tournament qualification in 23 years for the delayed Euro 2020. They also qualified for Euro 2024 and, for the first time since 1998, reached the World Cup. Across these three tournaments, Scotland secured one win, defeating Haiti.

Maxwell described the overriding reaction to Clarke's departure as "sadness," stating that the news was "very raw" following the World Cup elimination. "We’re sad that the World Cup journey’s over. We’re sad that we weren’t able to achieve what we wanted to do and obviously we’re sad that our most successful head coach has decided to step down."

He noted that Clarke had made his decision after the team's final match. "That’s ultimately his decision. I can understand why. Obviously, we’ve not performed as well as we wanted to. There’s been some fairly hysterical commentary back home, which hasn’t helped but ultimately, it’s up to Steve."

Clarke leaves as the first Scotland manager to oversee the team at three major tournaments, managing 81 games and recording 38 wins. Maxwell reflected positively on Clarke's tenure, stating, "If we had sat seven years ago when we appointed him and said, 'this is what the next seven years look like,' everybody would’ve bitten your hand off for it."

In his departing statement, Clarke expressed pride in re-engaging the public with the national team. He believes that with continued qualification, the team will eventually break through to the knockout stages. Clarke highlighted the achievement of winning their group from a third-seed position, citing the "incredible Scotland game" against Denmark as a memorable moment. He concluded by emphasizing the satisfaction he derived from witnessing the "reconnection of our national team and our fans."