GORDON Strachan, the Scotland manager, has given the strongest indication yet he has no intention of returning to club football by emphasising his contentment in his current position on the eve of the match with the Republic of Ireland.
Stewart Regan, the SFA chief executive, joked that Strachan could keep his job with the national team "until he collects his bus pass" after the governing body's AGM at Hampden on Tuesday.
The 58-year-old has transformed his country's international fortunes since succeeding Craig Levein two and a half years ago and his side has started its Euro 2016 qualifying campaign impressively.
In the past, Scotland managers who have fared well have been tempted away by lucrative positions with club sides; both Walter Smith and Alex McLeish joined Rangers and Birmingham City respectively in 2007 after successful stints in charge.
However, Strachan, the former Coventry City, Southampton, Celtic and Middlesbrough boss, has stressed he is enjoying being manager of the side he represented on 50 occasions in his own distinguished playing career with Aberdeen, Manchester United and Leeds United.
Scotland are currently in second place in Group D alongside world champions Germany just a point behind leaders Poland at the halfway stage in their qualifying campaign and have an opportunity to reach their first finals since France '98.
Speaking as he put the finishing touches to preparations for the match against Martin' O'Neill's side at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin tomorrow evening, Strachan said: "I don't think life can get that much better."
Asked about Regan's comments, he quipped: "I don't think he realises I'm not 64! Seriously, though, all I want to do is make these players and this squad better. Anyone who knows me will say I've never had a long-term plan for anything in my life. None whatsoever. It (the Scotland job) definitely suits my lifestyle at the moment.
"If you asked me after the first three weeks I'd have said 'no, I hate this.' But it's like anything else, when you start getting success in football there is enjoyment. When you see people doing well that makes a big difference.
"I never plan ahead. I like what I'm doing just now and I enjoy working with these lads. The other day I was watching training and I stood back and said to the other coaches: 'It's great watching great players, isn't it?'
"I usually watch for the first 15 minutes and then step in and give them wee reminders of what we do. But after 15 minutes the other day I said: 'Nope, I don't need to give you any reminders'.
Strachan added: "I'm excited about the game coming up. There's a wee bit of nervousness which you always have, which is great.
"But I don't think I can bracket how I'm enjoying this compared to different places I've been. I think it would be unfair to say I enjoy this or that more than something else.
"People always ask me where I enjoyed playing the most, but if I said Man United than would be unfair on the great players I played with at Aberdeen or Leeds.
"But at this moment I love working with these Scotland players and I love working with the coaching staff and everybody else.
"I've been waking up for the last two weeks, looking out onto the scenery out there (at the Scotland training base at Mar Hall just outside Bishopton) and then I've been walking up to the pitch with the lads who are all real good players. I then train with them and laugh with them. So I don't think life can get that much better."
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