Malky handed '˜interim' Scotland post

Mackay, the Scottish FA performance director, will hold the fort while a permanent successor is found for Gordon Strachan, whose departure was announced on Thursday.

Ostensibly, there are no stand-out candidates to replace Strachan, 60, who had taken the job in January 2013.

Mackay and former Manchester United and Everton manager David Moyes were immediately placed among the bookmakers’ favourites while Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes is also being quoted.

Other names being mentioned include former Scotland and Rangers boss Alex McLeish, ex-Scotland skipper Paul Lambert and former England manager Sam Allardyce.

Scotland finished third in Group F behind Slovakia on goal difference with a 2-2 draw in Slovenia on Sunday seeing them fall just short, but a run of six unbeaten qualifiers led to calls for Strachan to carry on the momentum.

However, the governing body said that board members ‘’agreed that a new national coach should be recruited to provide fresh impetus’’ and the announcement suggested the decision was mutual. Strachan’s assistant Mark McGhee also left with immediate effect.

Scotland have not qualified for the finals of a major tournament since the 1998 World Cup in France but with over a year to go before the 2020 European Championship qualifying campaign begins, the SFA have plenty time to select Strachan’s successor.