Scotland manager shortlist revealed as SFA to hold meeting to identify key candidates

Ian Maxwell will today call a second SFA board meeting in six days to draw up a shortlist of candidates to become the next Scotland manager.

Record Sport can reveal Maxwell is ready to present a wide raft of recommendations to his fellow directors after spending the Easter weekend on a fact finding mission to establish the cost and availability of a number of potential targets.

It’s understood those names include Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes, Kilmarnock’s Steve Clarke, former Manchester United boss Davie Moyes and Jack Ross of Sunderland.

Scotland under-21 head coach Scot Gemmill also remains firmly in the running along with another in-house option in performance director Malky Mackay.

There is also a stop gap strategy of placing one of them in charge in an interim capacity for the end of season double header against Cyprus and Belgium.

In a further twist, we can reveal Gemmill is cool on the idea of teaming up with Mackay to take charge of those games as he would rather embrace the opportunity to showcase his own credentials for the top job.

Chief executive Maxwell will lay it all on the table at today’s meeting before whittling the options down to smaller number of priority candidates.

He will also have to decide if the SFA should press ahead with making a permanent appointment as a matter of urgency or asking either Gemmill or Mackay to hold the fort until June.

A source said: “Things have gathered pace over the weekend with Maxwell now in a position to call the board back together in order to assess all the available options as well as the various contractual complications that would come with them.

Ian Maxwell, SFA chief executive (Daily Record)

“The board now have to consider all the information before deciding upon the next move. Not only will the number of runners and riders be boiled down but a decision will also be taken in terms of whether or not to put a temporary solution in place for the double header in June.

“While Maxwell understands the urgency of the situation he is also determined not to be bounced into making the wrong appointment for the wrong reasons.”