SCOTTISH Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith admits Alex McLeish could soon be offered big club jobs if his current success with the national team continues.
McLeish has only been in the Scotland hotseat for nine months, but if he leads the team to the Euro 2008 finals, Smith recognises there could be a rush for his services. The 48-year-old former Rangers boss had been keen on a return to club football b
efore being offered the Scotland post in January.
Smith realises that chance could come soon, with reports claiming McLeish was even offered the chance to take charge at Bolton before the Barclays Premier League club signed up Gary Megson.
Smith said: "Our position would be that we are delighted with the job he is done and we'd be delighted to hold on to him for as long as we can.
"It is an inevitable consequence of having a manager who is doing very well. I think if we didn't have a manager at international level who was sought after at club level then it would be a sign that he's not doing a good enough job."
Scotland lost Walter Smith to Rangers in January, and to lose a second national team boss would be a huge blow, given the way McLeish has taken to his task.
Scotland are a win against Italy away from reaching the Euro 2008 finals, and SFA chief Smith admits the more success McLeish has, the more clubs there will be interested in taking him.
The SFA boss said: "We had it with Walter Smith - he was tempted away by another job. Alex falls into the same category. It's one of the consequences of success. If we qualify for Euro 2008 I am pretty sure this will rise again."
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland have joined Scotland and Wales in opposing the idea of Great Britain fielding a football team in the Olympics.
The British Olympic Association were yesterday encouraged by the International Olympic Committee to field a team in both the men's and women's competitions at the London 2012 Games.
Under Jim Boyce's presidency, the Irish Football Association had been careful not to rule out Northern Ireland's involvement in a GB team but current IFA supremo Raymond Kennedy said he would be supporting the SFA and Welsh FA's stance.
"We would not want to compromise our national identity," said Kennedy.
The full article contains 403 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
