Tartan Army discover it's difficult to shake off Der Terrier

BERTI VOGTS made his reputation as a tenacious player and now the Tartan Army are finding him a difficult manager to shake off.

It is now two weeks since the 2000 fans who travelled to Moldova to witness a morale-sapping 1-1 draw called for his head.

And they may have to wait another nine days before knowing once and for all whether the German is to be removed from the post.

The Scottish Football Association had intended to gather all 11 of its board members at Hampden Park yesterday to decide on the issue. But that meeting was cancelled and, although another can be called at any time, it is now likely Thursday, November 4 will be the all-important date.

The first Thursday of a month is the regular slot for board meetings, although on this occasion it is perilously close to the next international, a friendly with Sweden on November 17 in Edinburgh.

Exactly who gets to pick the team for that one is unclear, with former Rangers manager Walter Smith ahead of Gordon Strachan, former Scotland midfielder and ex-Southampton boss, in the bookmakers’ eyes.

But Vogts is also continuing his work as normal, under instructions to do just that from his formidable Swiss lawyer Andi Gross.

Vogts has made it clear he does not intend to resign and with more than a year left on his contract, the SFA would have to pay a substantial compensation package to remove him.

Compensation complications, it seems, are the main stumbling block as to why no official statement as to the SFA’s intent has yet been published.