GIVE GORD A NEW DEAL

From Back Page after Sky pundit Graeme Souness called on the SFA to tie Strachan to the hotseat with a new deal following the 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw.

The Scotland No.2 said: “I believe that as well because Gordon has showed he can prepare a team against a really top opposition, that he has the players with him, that he has everyone with him.

“That’s all you can ask of any manger, whether it be at international level or club level. And Gordon proved in that game he has that.

“But we know the nature of the beast and Gordon is content to go forward at the moment on that basis because the most important thing is we win these four games. The most important thing for Gordon and myself is not that we have contracts. Gordon is not doing this for any other reason than he wants to win football matches for the nation. That’s why he’s doing it.

“He’s not doing it for the money, he’s not doing it for self-esteem or prestige and he’s not doing it because he’s trying to get another job.

“He’s doing it because he wants to win as many football matches as he can and he dreams of taking this team to a finals, for all the kids, for his own grandchildren, for my boy and everybody else’s who have never seen Scotland play at a tournament. That is his motivation.”