Alex McLeish: Scotland boss embraces 'greatest challenge'
- Published
Alex McLeish has taken charge of the Scotland team for a second time
Alex McLeish says his second spell in charge of Scotland is one of the greatest challenges of his career as he seeks a place at Euro 2020.
The former Rangers, Hibernian and Birmingham City manager, 59, has won nine trophies at club level and achieved two promotions.
And he has returned to manage the national team after a previous spell in charge in 2007.
"Without doubt, it's a fantastic challenge," McLeish told BBC Scotland.
"And [it's] probably one of the greatest in my career if I can pull this off, and I'm not going to leave any stone unturned."
McLeish confirmed on Radio Scotland's Sportsound he was speaking to possible candidates for his backroom staff, with his first games in charge against friendly opponents Costa Rica and Hungary next month.
Further exhibition games against Peru and Mexico follow in the summer.
His debut competitive games will be the Uefa Nations League encounters against Albania at home on 10 September, then in Israel on 11 October, with Euro 2020 qualifiers starting in March next year.
Scotland have pace and energy - McLeish
Scotland have lost just one of their past eight games but have not reached a major finals since the France 1998 World Cup.
"These players, you would expect them to have moved on a shift," added McLeish, who won 77 Scotland caps as a player.
"We have a lot of quick, young, smaller players. They're maybe not as robust or as strong physically as the team that I had back in 2007.
"But what I see in the young guys coming through is a lot of athleticism, a lot of speed, some dynamism and some guys playing in the Premier League and also what's a really fantastic fillip is that the guys who are appearing in the Premier League now are really starting to excel."
- Published4 March