SFA start search for successor

The Scottish Football Association’s 11-man board are due to assemble at the national stadium later today to begin the hunt for a new national team manager following Berti Vogts’ resignation.

With just two points picked up from three World Cup qualifiers, the pressure is on for the powerbrokers at Hampden Park to get it right this time after Vogts’ reign ended in failure and abuse.

Gordon Strachan is the Tartan Army’s top choice if the 2,000 fans calling his name in Moldova following the 1-1 draw which ultimately spelled the end of the road for Vogts are anything to go by.

But former Rangers manager Walter Smith has since emerged as the clear favourite, so much so the bookmakers have closed the book.

The 56-year-old has plenty going for him – experience, knowledge of the Scottish game and availability.

The 11 board members represent a broad cross-section of the football spectrum.

Campbell Ogilvie and Eric Riley are employed by Rangers and Celtic respectively while Alan McRae represents the Highland League and Tom Johnston the junior clubs at the opposite end of the scale.

Smith is known to have plenty of support within a cabal which also includes SFA chief executive David Taylor and president John McBeth and the number of former players and managers both past and present who have already backed him is already a significant one.

Strachan has distanced himself from the post while Smith is understood to be ready to take over with immediate effect.

The new man will not have long to wait before picking his first squad as Scotland have a friendly with Sweden on Wednesday, November 17 at Easter Road.

That game had been quickly switched from the national stadium in the wake of the Moldova debacle to the more compact Edinburgh venue.

It remains to be seen whether the Tartan Army will turn out in force for that one having had their morale dented by the disasters under Vogts.

The new man’s mettle will not be truly tested until March, however, when Scotland travel to Italy to take on the group favourites.

The Scots could be well adrift of rivals for the play-off spot by the time the next two qualifiers come along in June.

Moldova are the visitors on June 4, which is followed by a journey east to Belarus four days later.