DAVIE Moyes, who has been installed as the bookies’ favourite to take over from Gordon Strachan as Scotland manager, last night admitted he would prefer to return to club football.
Moyes, who has been out of work since parting company with Sunderland at the end of last season, confirmed he would be prepared to talk to the Scottish Football Association if they approached him about the vacancy.
However, the 54-year-old, who has spent spells in charge at Everton, Manchester United and Real Sociedad in Spain in the past, has reservations about moving into the international game at this stage in his career.
Speaking to Radio 5 Live, he said: “There has been no approach from Scotland. But I work closely with the SFA. Two weeks ago I was working with the coaches in Scotland. They know where I am if they want to speak to me.
“I don’t think anybody ever turns down the national team opportunity. But I think it has got to be at the right time as well. My first choice would be to go back into club management.
“But if Scotland want to talk somewhere along the line then I would be happy to help or speak to them and see what they have got to say.”
Moyes revealed that he thought Strachan, a close friend whose side failed to secure a Russia 2018 play-off place on goal difference at the weekend, had done a good job during his four and a half years in charge.
He added: “It would be wrong to blame any one person. I watched the Scotland v England game at Hampden and Scotland were winning 2-1. If Stuart Armstrong had kicked the ball in a different direction Scotland would have beaten England.
“That would have probably been one of the biggest victories in our recent history. We also would have qualified for the play-off. In football management it comes down to small margins.
“Stewart Regan, the SFA chief executive, said Gordon had been given a period of time for the team to improve and get results. Gordon went and got results. He did a great job with what he had.”
Sam Allardyce, the former England manager, is one of the potential candidates to take over from Strachan, but Moyes expressed the view that it should not be a foreigner.
“He should be Scottish,” he said. “I think the English manager should be English. I would like it to be the rules all round the world that that was the case, that you managed the country of your birth.
“I think Scotland have looked at managers from abroad and I still think the best choice would be a Scottish manager.”
Moyes, who represented Celtic, Dunfermline Athletic and Hamilton during his playing career, believes Scotland should blood some younger before the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign gets underway whoever takes over.
He said: “Over the years we have been gifted with unbelievable players, really incredibly talented players. At this present time we are finding it much harder.
“But we are on a path to try and get the younger players in and I think in the coming months when we have games that are not of any real importance we should put in some of the younger players to see how they do.”
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