Gordon Strachan to remain as Scotland manager

Gordon Strachan will continue as Scotland manager for the World Cup qualifier against England at Wembley next month after talks on Thursday with the Scottish Football Association.

Strachan’s future had been in doubt after a 3-0 defeat in Slovakia on Tuesday followed a 1-1 draw at home against Lithuania in Group F. However, the discussions established that there was no appetite on either side to end the former Celtic manager’s tenure at this stage.

If Scotland are beaten by England on November 11th it is likely that Strachan will leave his post, almost certainly by mutual consent. The team would be six points behind the group leaders in that case with only one victory, against Malta, from four qualifiers.

Strachan was always due to hold talks with the SFA on Thursday for a post-match debrief and the conversations followed a scheduled board meeting at which his position was discussed.

The governing body’s directors want to give him the opportunity to turn around the team’s fortunes at Wembley. They are also aware that it will be much easier to find a suitable replacement in the four and half months between the England game and the next competitive match, at home to Slovenia on 26 March, than it would be before the match in London.

Strachan, who signed a two-year contract extension last summer, tried to accentuate the positives after the defeat in Slovakia. “We are one point off a play-off place,” he said. “It is a crazy group.”

(Guardian service)