SFA decide on new boss

The Scottish Football Association will move for their next manager on Wednesday.

The SFA's interview panel decided on Tuesday night on their preferred candidate, with one-time dark horse George Burley expected to be offered the role.

The board of the SFA will be asked to ratify the decision, which is likely to be a formality, before the processing of approaching the candidate takes place.

Southampton boss Burley took training with his club on the south coast on Tuesday but is now the anticipated successor to Alex McLeish, who quit in November after Scotland's hopes of qualifying for Euro 2008 were ended by defeat to Italy.

Providing the SFA board back the interview panel's choice of manager, an approach is set to follow on immediately, however there will not be a formal appointment until later in the week.

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee was interviewed for the job on the back of his impressive leadership of the Fir Park club this season.

Burley, McGhee, Celtic first-team coach coach Tommy Burns and former Rangers manager Graeme Souness were the shortlisted candidates, and SFA chiefs spoke with all four men.

McGhee now seems poised to miss out, and admits it was a job he was keen to take.

"[I would be] disappointed, yes, absolutely disappointed, but I was flattered to be one of the candidates who was even considered for the job," McGhee told Sky Sports News. "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."