Caldwell confirms he wants Scotland job

Scotland have not reached a major football tournament since the 1998 World Cup.

And Caldwell believes he’s the right candidate to help Scotland make their anticipated return on the grandest stage.

He told the BBC: “I just feel that I have a lot to offer. I think a young person with different ideas to try and take the country forward at a time where we haven’t qualified for a long time now. We need to have a new approach to go and try and do that.

“Yes I have (applied for the job). I spoke to Stewart Regan, I’ve spoke to Rod Petrie and other people and hopefully my name will come up at the meeting.

“I only want the job as I feel I can make a difference. A club job is different. You want a job because you want to work. The international job I feel like I can make a difference and if I didn’t think that I wouldn’t apply for it and not just as the manager.”

The former Wigan captain enjoyed a five-year playing spell with the Latics after joining from Celtic in 2010, and he was appointed the first-team manager of the club in April 2015, two months after retiring prematurely due to a hip problem.

The 35-year-old led the Latics to promotion back to the Championship in his first full season in charge, but was sacked three months into the following season in 2016 after a poor start to the campaign.

He was appointed shortly after at League One strugglers Chesterfield, but was unable to save the Spireites from relegation to the fourth tier, and was sacked earlier this season after a poor start.

Caldwell was speaking before a scheduled SFA board meeting on Thursday at which the vacancy will be discussed.