Steve Clarke responds to Steven Gerrard criticism and insists "I don’t flog the players to death"

Gerrard was angry his player, who was managing a long-standing problem, did a double training session with the national squad that required him to cover 11 kilometres two days after playing in a match against Celtic.

Clarke, who yesterday named Jack in his 25-man squad for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Russia and San Marino next week, stated the episode has highlighted the need for him to have good dialogue with both clubs and players in the job he was appointed to back in May.

However, the former Chelsea, Liverpool and Aston Villa assistant, who expressed the view that Gerrard should have raised his concerns to him privately instead of through the media, insisted he hasn’t demanded too much of his charges.

“None of the players were forced to do the extra training session or the other training session everyone adds on at the end,” he said. “It’s an organisational set play afternoon that adds on a few numbers, that can make the numbers look quite dramatic, but they are not dramatic because there is no real load in the afternoon session.

“It’s 11k spread over seven hours in the day. So for me, it would have been better had Ryan not done the session obviously. I think it is probably a little bit (a case) of all parties concerned doing a little bit more to make sure the issue does not come up. It’s probably a lesson for me. We have to get communication better.

“For me it is definitely part of the learning process. In that particular week that was game day plus two for some players, but for me as an international manager that was a preparation day to be ready for the game coming up. We will have similar logistical things to think about on this trip as well.

“You are trying to get a lot of information in. The second part of that session that seemed to cause the uproar was mainly an organisational session where you give the lads the slides and show them on television screens positions at set plays.

“Some players prefer to be on the pitch to see those positions and learn from those positions. That was the thinking behind the second session that day. It was certainly not a session where we put a lot of load into the players’ legs.

“Listen, I am a very experienced football coach and manager. I have been in the game a long time. We certainly could not be accused of flogging players to death.”

Clarke and Gerrard traded verbal blows with each other frequently last season when they were in charge of Kilmarnock and Rangers respectively - and the Liverpool great accused his former Anfield coach of “lacking class” for calling for his striker Jermain Defoe to be banned.

Asked about the England great airing his grievances publicly, the Scotland manager said: “I understand Steven was upset. You have a key player like Ryan going away for an international and missing a key game for Rangers, I understand why he was upset. Would it have been better in private? Yes it would have been better in private. But there you go.”

Clarke indicated that Jack, who has been in outstanding form for Rangers both domestically and in Europe during the 2019/20 campaign, is in contention to win his third cap against Russia in the Group I game in the Luzhiniki Stadium in Moscow next Thursday night.

Asked if he would consider picking Jack at right back, where he played extensively for Aberdeen, due to the abundance of talented central midfield players he has in his squad, the Scotland manager said: “I’d quite like to see him playing midfield as well because he does a terrific job for Rangers.

“He’s a good positional player. He’d maybe give us a bit of balance in midfield. Obviously, I’ve lost Scott McTominay through suspension for the Russia game so that’s maybe a chance for Ryan to play a game in midfield before asking him to play a little bit out of position.”

Clarke revealed that Kieran Tierney, the former Celtic left back who made his debut for Arsenal last month, couldn’t be considered for a call-up.

“He was close,” he said Arsenal contacted us over the last 24 hours and intimated it would be too soon for him. So you have to respect the club’s wishes. He’s only played just over 70 minutes over the last five months. It’s probably the right decision not to put him in this squad.”

The 56-year-old, who has called up John Fleck of Sheffield United, revealed that Stuart Armstrong had been dropped because he hasn’t been starting matches regularly for Southampton this season.

"I wanted to bring John Fleck in to have a look and Stuart was the one who missed out," he said. "He’s not getting a lot of game time. I certainly wouldn’t close the door on someone with Stuart’s ability.”

Clarke has been pleased to see Billy Gilmour for his way into the first team at his former club Chelsea, but feels it is too early to bring him in to the senior Scotland set-up.

"You have to give young players time to develop and grow," he said. "I see everybody shouting for Billy to be in the squad and I understand why because he’s a terrific talent.

"Obviously I get good reports from the people at Chelsea but he needs time to develop. He’s better going and playing two games with Scot’s team, playing with a little bit of freedom, enjoying himself.

"Hopefully Scot Gemmill’s team (the Scotland Under-21s) can continue in the manner they’ve been, winning games and qualify for a tournament. Then all these boys we want to come through eventually will come through in a good frame of mind with good international experience at under-21 level.

"You have to give young players time to develop and grow. The issue is that if you’re not winning, the players that are not selected always become a better option than the ones who are selected. So the best thing we can do is start winning a few games and concentrate on the group we’ve got – and hopefully that group is good enough to qualify us for Euro 2020."