On June 16, during the opening match of the European Championship between Scotland and Germany in the early hours of the morning, tensions flared as Scotland found themselves struggling and trailing on the scoreboard. Unhappy with the team’s performance, Scotland’s head coach was seen in a fierce argument with the team’s set-piece coach by television cameras.
The dispute between Steve Clarke, the Scottish manager, and Austin MacPhee, the set-piece coach, occurred in the second half of the game. Although the broadcast didn’t show the specifics of the confrontation, it seemed to stem from Scotland’s disappointing performance in their set-piece situations. Clarke had hoped for better utilization of these opportunities to score and retaliate, but the reality fell short, prompting his outburst.
MacPhee also serves as a set-piece coach for Aston Villa in the Premier League, where the team has had a solid record in set-pieces this season. Ahead of the 2024 European Championship, MacPhee expressed his excitement about joining Clarke’s squad, reminiscing about his experience as a fan at the 1998 World Cup in France. He said, “As a fan, being part of a major tournament with Scotland is one of the biggest things you can do in life. I was there in 1998.”
It has been reported that the two coaches have since resolved their disagreement and are now focusing on preparations for their second group stage match. They will face Switzerland at 3:00 AM on June 20.