Steve Clarke is 'really pleased' for Che Adams after he bagged a hat-trick for Scotland on Monday evening, as he delivered an update on the future of assistant manager John Carver.
The national team put Liechtenstein to the sword in a 4-0 friendly victory, bouncing back from a 3-1 defeat to Iceland at Hampden last time out.
Speaking post-match, Clarke reflected on the emphatic win, explaining how Sunday night's Nations League final proved how Scotland can still compete at the elite level: "I know my players, I trust my players... It's nice to finish this camp with a nice win," he told BBC.
Read more:
-
Every Scotland player rated after Liechtenstein triumph as one star handed 9/10
-
Liechtenstein 0 Scotland 4: Lennon Miller shines as Adams bags hat-trick
"Most teams will come here and win against Liechtenstein, but not many come here and score four goals.
"It's still a disappointing camp because we didn't play as we can play in the home game at Hampden.
"I'm certainly going to carry that into August. There was a little bit of hurt and anger in the dressing room, I think you saw that in the first 20 to 25 minutes when the players were really on it.
"If you look at the Nations League final between Portugal and Spain, in recent times, this Scotland team has shown how competitive it can be against that type of team.
"So, you look at the two best teams in Europe competing in a final, we can compete."
Forward Adams' display was perhaps his finest in dark blue. A perfect hat-trick, combined with a fine assist for strike partner George Hirst, meant the Torino man grabbed the headlines.
Despite making several substitutions throughout the 90, Clarke left a hungry Adams on: "I'm really pleased for Che," he added.
"We know what Che can bring. He's been with us for a couple of years now. He's a top-quality striker.
"I left him on because I knew he would be desperate for a hat-trick."
Question marks have hung over the future of Clarke's long-term lieutenant, Carver, for some time. The 60-year-old joined the Scotland set up in 2020 but recently took up a role with Polish Ekstraklasa outfit Lechia Gdansk, whom he successfully helped avoid the drop to the second-tier last season.
"I think the wave goodbye to the crowd was a giveaway," admitted Clarke post-match.
"The thing with John was that when I approached him to come and help us, I didn't think he'd be here for five years because he's a talented coach. We'll miss him, we'll have to look to replace him, and that'll be my job over the summer. We wish him every success."
