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Scotland manager Craig Levein keen to remain in charge
Scotland manager Craig Levein insists he wants to remain in charge of the national side despite World Cup qualification looking highly unlikely.
Belgium eased to a 2-0 win in Brussels that leaves Scotland bottom of Group A with two points from four matches.
"I want to stay on as manager; the rest isn't up to me," said 47-year-old Levein.
"I'll continue to do the job to the best of my ability and we'll see what happens."
He added: "We can't keep hoping we're going to qualify for major finals and slide down the rankings.
Group A - World Cup qualifying
| Pld | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Belgium |
4 |
7 |
10 |
|
Croatia |
4 |
4 |
10 |
|
Serbia |
4 |
1 |
4 |
|
Macedonia |
4 |
-1 |
4 |
|
Wales |
4 |
-8 |
3 |
|
Scotland |
4 |
-3 |
2 |
"The fight's not gone out of this team and I've got to commend them for that.
"The fans were behind the team and made a lot of noise. I would have loved to have got a result for them."
Levein was under fire before Tuesday's match after Friday's 2-1 defeat by Wales in Cardiff extended their winless start to their qualification campaign for the 2014 World Cup.
The statistics since Levein succeeded George Burley as national boss make grim reading, with the former Hearts, Leicester and Dundee United manager presiding over just three wins in 12 games - two of those coming against Liechtenstein.
It seems certain now that Scotland's absence from major international tournaments will be extended to 16 years.
They were no match for an in-form Belgium on Tuesday. Christian Benteke headed the home side into the lead in the 69th minute, before Manchester City's Vincent Kompany fired in a sublime shot from the edge of the area to secure victory.
Interview - Scotland coach Craig Levein
Levein admitted that his players failed to mount a significant challenge against a quality side.
"I felt Belgium had run out of steam a wee bit and it was a terrible time to lose a goal. Let's not kid ourselves, they're a very good side," Levein told BBC Scotland afterwards.
"Sometimes all you need is one goal; we did enough to create the chances but not enough to get that goal.
"The question was could we take our chances? In all honesty, they were too good for us.
"We must look at a team like Belgium and aspire to be as good as them. They changed their youth set up about 12 years ago."
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Comment number 248.
stephen18th October 2012 - 22:51
talented players used to play in reserves for their team as young as 16 coming through to full team as young as 17 progressing year by year playing for scotland in less important games while they were still young enough to learn i do not think nowadays any scotland manager would even consider u21 players although u21 managers used to complain that their best players got pinched for the full team
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Comment number 247.
stephen18th October 2012 - 22:41
i think that young players have to be brought in many clubs have young talented players who are not getting enough games. bring them in let them show what they can do in friendlies then their clubs would give them more games. much of our youth is being stifled and end up leaving football never having had a chance. getting beat in a friendly is not important if you discover new talent in that game
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Comment number 246.
stephen18th October 2012 - 21:17
i also think we need more games important ones. home international games meant we played england at least once a year they had more and mostly better players than us. but scottish players wouldnt admit that beat england and party for a year after even if it was our only win. barry ferguson was a silly man i dont doubt his skill but he is only one scotland used to have better players on the bench
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Comment number 245.
stephen18th October 2012 - 20:53
some people say that the old style football would not work today but scotland did not have one style or one manager we played defensive countetrattack short ball attacking long ball attacking so called continental style and many more there were almost as many styles as competitions played. manager change didnt matter will to win even with new tactics was still there
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Comment number 244.
stephen18th October 2012 - 20:43
i think the best example of what is missing is the game against holland 1978 last night i quoted 4 2 it was 3 2 i made a mistake the point is we went into that game against one of the top favourites to win the cup as usual their top 2 men could have paid for our whole squad we went into the match intending to win by 3 goals not just beat them we thought we could do it our attitude was win or die
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