Bungle this one and it’s time to hand in your badge

THE first decision was the easy one. Now comes the difficult part for the Scottish FA. When Stewart Regan and his board convened at Hampden last week, it didn’t take them long to bring an end to Gordon Strachan’s time as Scotland boss.

But the discussion over who replaces the 60-year-old at the helm can’t be rushed. For Scotland’s sake, this one has to be the right one.

The same can also be said for chief executive Regan as he gets set to oversee the recruitment process at a time when his own approval rating with supporters is off the chart – and not in a good way.

The appointment of Malky Mackay was undoubtedly a controversial one and if Project Brave isn’t delivered on schedule and on spec it will be another blow for the SFA hierarchy. Bringing on board the wrong man this time will surely be a decision that Regan can’t recover from.

The one on Strachan was an open goal for the SFA and it was an opportunity that they didn’t miss. If any other outcome had been reached, Regan should have cleared his desk straight after Thursday’s board meeting.

The mood of the supporters may have been at odds with the feelings of the players, but the results spoke for themselves after two failed campaigns.

Now Regan will start drawing up a list of potential candidates. He certainly won’t be short of names.

Plenty of potential bosses have already been tipped or dismissed, ruled themselves out or spoken about the possibility.

There is a Scottish selection, a band of Brits and a foreign legion. Some are in work, some are out of it, some have international experience and some have none.

In truth, the next manager could come from any of those groups and it is likely a compromise will have to be reached. The perfect candidate, one that ticks every box, probably isn’t within the SFA’s reach, even after Regan admitted he would be open to the possibility of external investment to help pay a bumper wage packet.

The Berti Vogts era shouldn’t prevent another appointment from outwith these shores, while a track record on the international stage is more important than one at a domestic level.

With matches at the next European Championships set to be staged at Hampden in 2020, it would be the ultimate embarrassment for Scottish football if the Tartan Army weren’t there to cheer the national side on.

HIt is Regan, president Alan McRae, Rod Petrie, Murdoch MacLennan, Mike Mulraney, Tom Johnston, Barrie Jackson and Gary Hughes that will make the final decision.

But opinions and insight should be sought from across the game, the net cast as far and wide as possible to ensure it is the right man that one day stands at Hampden holding aloft the scarf. It will be the new manager that carries the can for results during the Nations League and the Euro qualifiers.

If it all ends in a depressing- ly familiar tale of woe, it will be the bosses of the boss that have to pay the ultimate price next time around, though. Speaking of making big decisions, fair play to the Kilmarnock board for getting their new man in the door.

The appointment of Steve Clarke should be the call that saves Killie from relegation to the Championship this season.

Lee McCulloch can feel aggrieved at only being given a handful of games this term but the Ayrshire board have made a statement by bringing Clarke back to Scottish football.

It is a far cry from his days at Chelsea or Liverpool or as a boss at West Brom or Reading and Clarke has walked into a club in desperate need of a boost on and off the park. He certainly looks to be the right man for the job.