His displays may have underwhelmed—he wasn’t alone—but McGinn contributed plenty off the field.
The Aston Villa captain fronted the media after every match, giving at least two interviews each time.
He also led the first daily press conference in camp, fielding a question about Norway boss Stale Solbakken calling Clarke “unprofessional”.
That morning, the squad held an open training session, letting local schoolchildren watch them work—another sign of Clarke’s refreshed approach and a cultural shift within the group.
Then the fissures began to appear.
During the Morocco game, cameras caught Scott McTominay and Jack Hendry arguing during a hydration break.
Hendry later laughed it off when he faced the press in Charlotte, but the Napoli midfielder never addressed it. Aside from a brief BBC interview at the start of camp, he was kept away from the media.
Even his injured club team-mate, Billy Gilmour—who flew over with his leg in a brace to join the squad and throw the Miami Marlins’ ceremonial first pitch—spoke to reporters.
Yet, for all the change, some things never change.
A setup entirely different from Euro 2024—supposedly full of hard-earned lessons and tailored to the players’ wishes—produced the same outcome on the pitch.
Big names failed to deliver in big moments, even with the star treatment.
Clarke—who offered nothing beyond a furious post-match media conference after the Hungary defeat in Stuttgart two summers ago—went further this time, resigning three days after the Brazil humbling.
At that point, Opta still put Scotland’s chances of making history at 42%, but Clarke admitted they were “going home” anyway.
A poor return, given the meticulous planning, spared expense, and fine-tuning that went into this tournament.
So why didn’t it work? Who knows when—or to whom—we’ll next get to ask.