SFA reject Troussier claim

The Scottish Football Association today dismissed claims Philippe Troussier could become the next manager of the national team.

Troussier had insisted he was in the frame to succeed Berti Vogts, who stepped down at the start of the month.

He had told the Daily Mail: "I am on the short-list, they consider my candidature and they recognise my past."

Troussier had been short-listed in 2002 when Vogts was appointed but an SFA spokesman today insisted that was not the case the second time around.

He said: "Philippe Troussier is not on the short-list and he has not been approached."

Former Rangers manager Walter Smith remains the front-runner, but the Tartan Army have already said they prefer Gordon Strachan, the former Coventry and Southampton manager.

Vogts' assistant Tommy Burns is in temporary charge and oversaw the 4-1 friendly defeat by Sweden last week.

An all-Scot short-list was drawn up within days of Vogts' departure but SFA chief executive David Taylor has since indicated a foreign might still be appointed.

However it will not be former South Africa and Japan manager Troussier.