SFA quiet amid Smith Scotland job rumours

The Scottish Football Association have played down speculation they have offered the national managerial vacancy to Walter Smith.

The former Rangers and Everton boss has been widely tipped to succeed Berti Vogts, who quit his post at the start of the month.

Smith met with SFA chief executive David Taylor and office-bearers for an interview on November 19.

But the Scottish governing body also conducted interviews with other potential candidates last week.

Taylor is hopeful the new man will be in place ahead of the Scotland Future game against Germany on December 7.

Temporary Scotland boss Tommy Burns and Under-21 coach Rainer Bonhof named the squad for that game today and will take charge of team affairs next week in Mannheim next week.

However, Taylor, SFA president John McBeth and office bearers George Peat, Campbell Ogilvie and John Smith will present their recommendations to an SFA board meeting on Thursday this week at Hampden Park.

But the SFA were remaining tight-lipped on suggestions the job had already been offered to Smith.

An SFA spokesman said: “We have no comment to make on speculation surrounding the manager’s job.”

Vogts quit after a series of poor results left the Scots with just two points from their opening three World Cup qualifiers.

The embarrassing 1-1 draw in Moldova was the final straw for some members of the travelling fans in Chisinau, who voiced their displeasure after the match.

On Sunday, Taylor expressed his hope that the new man would be installed in time for the Future game.

He said: “We have reached a situation where we now have to have detailed discussions with regard to terms and conditions.

“I would hope that through this process the recommendation would go forward unanimously and it would be one name. That’s the ideal situation.

“What I can confirm is that, while there has been interest from south of the border, all of the names on the list are Scottish and that I will have to provide the board meeting on December 2 with an update at the very least.

“I hope that we will go forward unanimously with one name and I very much hope that the person is in place for the game in Germany on December 7.”