All eyes on George Burley as SFA decides

IN THE heads of the four-man interview panel at least, the identity of the next Scotland manager is definitely known, with George Burley emerging as the man the Scottish Football Association wants to succeed Alex McLeish.

The decision needs to be ratified by the ten-man SFA board, but this is regarded as simply a matter of course. Southampton, the club where Burley has managed for just over two years, will then be contacted to discuss the matter of compensation.

Burley would, of course, have to accept the post himself, although he spoke last week of what an "honour" it would be to manage the national team.

The four-man interview panel confirmed yesterday that they had reached a "unanimous decision", with Burley thought to have impressed them most during the interview procedure. The group, made up by chief executive Gordon Smith, president George Peat and vice-presidents Campbell Ogilvie and Alan McCrae, are understood to be keen to hand Burley the chance to lead Scotland to the World Cup finals in South Africa in 2010. The new manager's first match in charge will be a friendly against Croatia at Hampden Park in March and he is expected to be unveiled before the week is out.

If Burley gets the nod, it will leave Graeme Souness, Tommy Burns and Mark McGhee as unsuccessful candidates, although the last named will perhaps be relieved to be able to get on with managing Motherwell after a traumatic past month. Souness and Burns have both been heavily touted in recent days but Burley is reported to have edged ahead at precisely the right time.

"All I can say is congratulations to George," said a magnanimous McGhee, talking before his side's Scottish Cup replay with Hearts last night. "I think he will be a terrific Scottish manager and I will do all I can to help him."

McGhee added: "(I would be] disappointed, yes, absolutely disappointed, but I was flattered to be one of the candidates who was even considered for the job. That was a huge thing for me. I'm terribly proud of being Scottish, having played for my country, and I would have been proud to be manager.

"But life goes on. I think whoever the manager is going to be, if it is George or whoever, I'll be right behind them."

Meanwhile, Peat explained: "I am going in (to Hampden] tomorrow with the hope we might get something tied down either tomorrow or Thursday. We are targeting the end of the week, and all going well it will be resolved in the next two days. It's dragged on a bit to be honest, but with the situation at Motherwell we thought we would let things lie for a while."

Motherwell only played their first game at home since skipper Phil O'Donnell's death last night, and the tragic incident meant that McGhee had other tasks to fulfil before clearing his head prior to the interview process.

Burley was interviewed for the post on Monday, after his side's weekend draw with Plymouth. This match could well mark the end of Burley's tenure at Southampton, with the side currently 13th in the Championship. The club have an FA Cup fourth-round tie against Bury this weekend.

It could also bring to an end a club management career which began when he was appointed player-coach at Ayr United in 1991. Burley, who played 11 times for Scotland between 1979 and 1982, has since built a reputation as a popular and astute manager at Colchester United, Ipswich Town and Derby County. He is best known in Scotland for his short but spectacular spell in charge of Hearts. When he left after a fall-out with owner Vladimir Romanov, Hearts were sitting top of the Premier League, having amassed nine wins and two draws in 11 matches.

He returned to England with his reputation further enhanced although he has found it tougher with Southampton, where he was appointed manager in December 2005. He worked originally with former England rugby union coach Sir Clive Woodward, controversially appointed director of football. Woodward left within nine months. Although Burley led the team to a play-off place last season, his old club Derby extinguished the Premiership dream. This season has seen Southampton lodged in mid-table.

Interestingly, one of Burley's current coaching assistants at Southampton is John Gorman who, despite being a Scot, once assisted Glenn Hoddle during his period as England manager. Malcolm Webster is Burley's regular right-hand man, and is presently at Southampton. Simon Hunt, like Webster a member of Burley's backroom team at Tynecastle, was named technical director at Tony Mowbray's West Bromwich Albion in the summer but left the post last month.