Scotland: Shaun Maloney eyes more caps under Gordon Strachan

Maloney has 44 Scotland caps

Shaun Maloney he will not call time on his Scotland career until the national manager tells him he is not needed.

The 32-year-old Hull City midfielder suffered disappointment this week as Scotland failed to qualify for the Euro 2016 finals in France.

Asked whether he would continue for the next World Cup campaign, he said: "I love playing for Scotland.

"It will be the manager of Scotland that decides when I stop playing and not me."

The question of who the manager will be for a World Cup campaign that pits Scotland against England in their qualifying group has been left in the balance after incumbent Gordon Strachan said he would take time to decide his future.

But Maloney, who earned his 44th cap in Sunday's 6-0 win over Gibraltar, said the squad was united in its desire for Strachan to remain in charge.

"We are all keen - the full group spoke about it," he said.

"And we have obviously heard some of the greatest Scottish players talk about it over the last few days.

Gordon Strachan and the Scotland players were given a good reception from their fans against Gibraltar

"But it is the manager's decision and, in the next two or three weeks, he will decide.

"From where we were in the last campaign, I think we all agree that we have progressed from that."

Maloney thought the fans recognised that and showed their appreciation with a rousing reception for the players after the game in Faro.

"Everyone has felt the pain from the Poland game and I think that'll last for months to come," he said.

"The people who travelled here gave us a huge lift in terms of performing for them. It hit home what it would be like if we did manage to qualify for a tournament."

The former Celtic, Aston Villa and Wigan midfielder returned to English football from Chicago Fire this summer as he was finding travel from the United States made it difficult to continue his international career.