The SFA has confirmed
that Gordon Strachan will take over from Craig Levein as the new manager
of Scotland. Photograph: Lynne Cameron/PA
Gordon Strachan has been appointed as the new manager of Scotland, the Scottish Football Association has confirmed.
The 55-year-old, who has been out of work since leaving Middlesbrough in October 2010, has been in negotiation with the SFA with regards to his salary and contract length since the turn of the year.
Strachan – whose contract runs until Euro 2016 – stated his desire to make Scotland a proud footballing country once more. He said: "Every club you go to there's always challenges, but this is the first time the challenges are in front of a nation. If you can be successful you can make a nation happy and make a nation proud and that is the priority for me to be able to do that with help from other people."
Strachan also said that it is the perfect time to step into the role. "You're always interested as long as someone asks you but I think that time is right now because I've had that European experience. I've had to deal with players and I've also had a couple of years where I can look at national football. The time is right for me to be able to take a job like this. I have the experience, I like working with people, I like dealing with people and I like trying to make people better."
Strachan also stated his desire to reach the finals of either the World Cup or the European Championship. Scotland have not qualified for the finals of a major tournament since reaching the 1998 World Cup in France.
"I really want the squad and the staff to give something back to the country and the fans who support us, because the fans are probably more famous than the squad now. So what we want to try and do is to give back something and make them turn up for a major finals competition. Through my TV work I've been to these competitions and the Irish have kind of stepped up for a while so hopefully the Irish and the Scottish can get together for one major and it'll be one hell of a party."
Scotland have picked up only two points in their bid to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil but Strachan rejected the suggestion that a top-two spot is out of the players' reach. "If we work together as a group and a set of fans I know for a fact we'll be successful. I can't ask for anything more than we're doing at the moment. We're going to use the games to try and win. My philosophy is to win games of football, like Manchester United.
"We still have to collect as many points as we can and it's disrespectful to say we'll use the games just to improve. We'll give it a go. What I know is that these guys, for all they might get criticised, are the best at what they do. They play for Scotland and we have to find a system that suits these players to win games of football."
Strachan also denied the national coach's role is a poisoned chalice, adding: "I think it's a great job. At this time in my life I can deal with this. All my experiences have prepared me for this moment."
The former midfielder laughed off suggestions the Scotland job was the best opportunity made available to him since his departure from Middlesbrough. "I'm not saying that, no," he added. "I'm just saying it was a job I wanted to do. For a Scotsman, it's a fantastic thing. I played for Scotland then started coaching and thought: 'I want to be Scotland manager some day.' You don't get easy jobs but the important thing is to make people happy by winning games of football. The more successful I am I look around, and the more people there are around me. Together, we'll look to do something."
His first match in charge will be a friendly against Estonia next month.
The 55-year-old, who has been out of work since leaving Middlesbrough in October 2010, has been in negotiation with the SFA with regards to his salary and contract length since the turn of the year.
Strachan – whose contract runs until Euro 2016 – stated his desire to make Scotland a proud footballing country once more. He said: "Every club you go to there's always challenges, but this is the first time the challenges are in front of a nation. If you can be successful you can make a nation happy and make a nation proud and that is the priority for me to be able to do that with help from other people."
Strachan also said that it is the perfect time to step into the role. "You're always interested as long as someone asks you but I think that time is right now because I've had that European experience. I've had to deal with players and I've also had a couple of years where I can look at national football. The time is right for me to be able to take a job like this. I have the experience, I like working with people, I like dealing with people and I like trying to make people better."
Strachan also stated his desire to reach the finals of either the World Cup or the European Championship. Scotland have not qualified for the finals of a major tournament since reaching the 1998 World Cup in France.
"I really want the squad and the staff to give something back to the country and the fans who support us, because the fans are probably more famous than the squad now. So what we want to try and do is to give back something and make them turn up for a major finals competition. Through my TV work I've been to these competitions and the Irish have kind of stepped up for a while so hopefully the Irish and the Scottish can get together for one major and it'll be one hell of a party."
Scotland have picked up only two points in their bid to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil but Strachan rejected the suggestion that a top-two spot is out of the players' reach. "If we work together as a group and a set of fans I know for a fact we'll be successful. I can't ask for anything more than we're doing at the moment. We're going to use the games to try and win. My philosophy is to win games of football, like Manchester United.
"We still have to collect as many points as we can and it's disrespectful to say we'll use the games just to improve. We'll give it a go. What I know is that these guys, for all they might get criticised, are the best at what they do. They play for Scotland and we have to find a system that suits these players to win games of football."
Strachan also denied the national coach's role is a poisoned chalice, adding: "I think it's a great job. At this time in my life I can deal with this. All my experiences have prepared me for this moment."
The former midfielder laughed off suggestions the Scotland job was the best opportunity made available to him since his departure from Middlesbrough. "I'm not saying that, no," he added. "I'm just saying it was a job I wanted to do. For a Scotsman, it's a fantastic thing. I played for Scotland then started coaching and thought: 'I want to be Scotland manager some day.' You don't get easy jobs but the important thing is to make people happy by winning games of football. The more successful I am I look around, and the more people there are around me. Together, we'll look to do something."
His first match in charge will be a friendly against Estonia next month.
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