Scotland: Malky Mackay to 'wait and see' on manager's job

Malky Mackay will get his first taste of international management next month

Scotland interim coach Malky Mackay insists he has "an important job" but will "wait and see" what happens after the friendly with the Netherlands.

The Scottish FA's performance director is in temporary charge of the national team following Gordon Strachan's exit.

"I'm in charge of seven teams at the moment and I was in eight different countries last month," said Mackay, 45.

"So, I've got an awful lot on my plate right now," he added when asked about taking the role permanently.

"I was asked by the board to come in to be the interim manager going forward, which I'm very proud to do, but I have quite an important job on my hands at the moment.

"This is an immense honour and right now I'm looking forward to this next couple of weeks and being focused on that. After that? We'll wait and see where that goes."

• New faces in Mackay's Scotland squad

Former Watford, Cardiff City and Wigan Athletic manager Mackay joined the SFA in December to oversee Project Brave, the organisation's strategy for improving youth development.

"They're defined different roles," said Mackay of the Scotland job and the performance director position.

"Every manager that is Scottish would be proud to be the manager of their national team and right now I am that person. I've played for my nation and I will be managing my nation in two weeks' time. To be able to do that is something that I'll be eternally grateful for and humbled for.

"I'm 10 months into a job that I'm incredibly proud to be doing and a job that's fundamentally, I think, very, very important going forward in Scottish football - guiding this pathway for our youngsters and making sure there's a close connection with our football clubs."

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Mackay has named eight uncapped players in his squad for the 9 November friendly meeting with the Dutch at Pittodrie, including four new call-ups.

He explained further young players warranted a call-up but that he believes they must only make the step up when they are ready to make a key impact.

"There's at least three or four of the under-21s that would've made this squad on current form, but I'm not going to do that," the former Celtic centre-back added.

"It's not something I think we should do. There are plenty of nations that have gone on to win European Championships with nearly an under-23 team because as long as you start at under-21, you can finish at 23.

"Invariably we're criticised that our 21s don't get there but if you look halfway through campaigns two or three of the best players are taken out and sat on the bench for Scotland.

"Now that progression should happen, but it's about when it happens. That's where the communication is about a pathway where we think the best chance for [Scotland Under-21 coach] Scot Gemmill in two qualifiers [against Latvia and Ukraine] is to put his best team out there, not for me to take two or three who could quite easily make this squad.

"It's when they're going to make the jump and that's important going forward."