St Mirren's Gary Teale comfortable with internal rivalry for job

Gary Teale (right) has been given the job of interim manager of St Mirren

Gary Teale realises that his own chances of becoming St Mirren manager on a permanent basis could depend on the good form of rival Steven Thompson.

Teale has been handed the role of caretaker manager following this week's sacking of Tommy Craig.

But his fellow 36-year-old, who has just returned to fitness, is also keen on his first managerial job.

"Certainly having Thommo out there on the pitch banging in goals would do my chances some good," said Teale.

"Steven will probably be putting his hat in the ring as well, but it is the nature of the beast that lots of players would want to go into management eventually."

Teale, the former Wigan Athletic, Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday and Scotland winger, has not tendered a formal application.

However, he stressed: "In terms of letting them know I would love to take the job, I have. They certainly know where I stand.

"Whether they are going to go for that long-term, I don't know, but I am sitting here in a great position.

"It is up to me to try to make an impact, whether it's for one week, two weeks, three weeks, four weeks.

"It is something I thought about when I was thinking I was coming to the end of my career.

"It has come a lot sooner than I thought, but it's something that I want to do and something I'm prepared to do even at this moment in time."

Teale, who has himself recently returned to fitness, will not be considering himself for selection on Sunday against Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic in Glasgow.

"There's far too much going on to concentrate on your job of being a player and put on a performance on the pitch," he told BBC Scotland.

"I don't think there's a massive amount wrong.

"When you're missing Steven Thompson out your side, taking Jim Goodwin out your side, your taking Isaac Osbourne out your side, taking John McGinn out your side, especially for a club like ourselves, those are four key players.

Steven Thompson is back to spearhead St Mirren's attack

"We were missing them on a regular basis over the last month or so, so I think results would have probably turned round with having these guys back."

Thompson, with whom Teale took his coaching badges, praised the interim boss and assistant David Longwell, who was head of youth development.

"It has obviously been a tough week and nobody likes to see the manager losing his job, but I think the guys have been very professional in the way they've galvanised and got ourselves picked up to go into this game on Sunday," he said.

"It is not right for me to speculate on the manager's job just now.

"I'm not saying I haven't thought about it, but I don't think it's right to talk about that going into a game in two days' time.

"I think the most important thing right now for the club is that we start to get results on the pitch.

"And Gary and David have done an excellent job in preparing us this week for the Celtic game."

Thompson has no thoughts about giving up as a player even if he becomes St Mirren manager.

"As long as my body holds up, I don't want my St Mirren playing career to end right now and I want to write another chapter," he added.