Craig Levein exits as Scotland coach following talks

[ian1964 10,416]

Craig Levein will not be carrying on as Scotland coach, BBC Sport understands.

 

It follows a poor start to the World Cup campaign, with Scotland sitting bottom of Group A.

 

The seven-man Scottish Football Association board met at the end of last week to consider the 48-year-old Fifer's position.

 

And the decision comes the day before the international squad is due to be announced for next month's friendly in Luxembourg.

 

The SFA board had come in for widespread criticism for deliberating over the weekend about the future of the former Hearts, Leicester City, Hearts and Dundee United manager.

 

His contract was due to run until summer 2014, with reports claiming that sacking Levein now could cost the SFA up to £700,000.

 

Levein, who took over in December 2009, had already been under pressure after Scotland drew their opening Hampden qualifiers against Serbia and Macedonia.

 

Defeats by Wales and Belgium led to a widespread expectation that he would be removed from his post.

 

Scotland have only won three of their 12 competitive matches with the former international defender in charge.

 

However, Levein had vowed not to resign, while captain Darren Ferguson and other members of the Scotland squad have gone public with their desire for the coach to remain in post.

 

Levein tried to convince SFA chief executive Stewart Regan and president Campbell Ogilivie that he should remain in post during a meeting early last week.

 

Bookmakers have made former Celtic and Southampton manager Gordon Strachan a clear early favourite to succeed Dunfermline-born Levein.

 

He is followed by former Scotland manager Alex McLeish, who was sacked by Aston Villa in the summer, and Mark Wotte, the Dutchman brought in by Levein to be SFA performance director.

 

Scotland have gathered two points from four matches in their World Cup group, with qualification already looking well beyond them.

 

The Scots travel face Luxembourg for their friendly on 14 November but do not have another qualifier until hosting Wales on 22 March.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20205303

[Gazza_8 233]

Don't really follow Scotland but he was making us into a laughing stock. Best thing all round!

[54andcounting 0]

Another one bites the dust...that job is impossible.

[gisabeer 409]

Another one bites the dust...that job is impossible.

 

we should be doing a lot better with the players available. he should have been hooked after his 6 4 0 formation.

[blueflag 378]

not surprising the skum in the east end crying for strachan.. pffft surly not. he's a tit .

[Gazza_8 233]

Best of a bad bunch. Who wants to take the job? It's must be at a minimum.

[Zappa 0]

Good to hear he's gone. The guy was a muppet.

 

Scotland needs a manager with experience at the highest levels.

[the wasp 0]

not surprising the skum in the east end crying for strachan.. pffft surly not. he's a tit .

 

Not his biggest fan,but I think Chesney was always destine for the Scotland job,and think he will get the best out of the obvious talent

 

that's available to him.

[Gazza_8 233]

Owen Coyle's been mentioned.

[RANGERRAB 3,260]

Owen Coyle's been mentioned.

 

Doesn't surprise me. They're running the SFA now so it'll be one of them. Won't make any difference though. The jacobites won't be going anywhere fast. They're crap