For most of Saturday afternoon in Charlotte, the sky was a murky gray, rain hammering down, winds whipping hard, and thunder and lightning flaring every minute or so.
Had Steve Clarke glanced out from his hotel window, that’s the near-apocalyptic scene he would have seen — in some ways, the perfect backdrop for what followed.
Minutes after Scotland were officially knocked out of the World Cup, news broke that the head coach was stepping down. Unlike the weather, there was no advance sign.
His exit was in keeping with his character: understated, no drama, no interviews yet, and no feeling on his part that more explanation is needed.
The length and specificity of his farewell statement implies this had been brewing for a day or two, but it offers no insight into his reasoning.
Why the haste? Why not return home, take a breather, and reflect? Rash calls and heat-of-the-moment reactions aren’t typical of Clarke, so why act now?
The players didn’t see it coming, and neither did many on the Scottish FA board. Only a month ago, those same figures announced with fanfare that Clarke had signed on for four more years.