IT is highly unlikely those SFA officials charged with the unenviable task of appointing the next Scotland manager needed any reminder just how important their decision will be.

Nevertheless, Georgios Samaras, the Celtic player who helped Greece qualify for the World Cup finals for only the second time in their history on Wednesday night, provided them with one yesterday.

Samaras set up Dimitris Salpingidis for the only goal of a tense play-off encounter with Ukraine in Donetsk to ensure his country secured their place in South Africa in the summer. However, the player was at pains to stress that it was neither he, nor Salpingidis, who should be accepting the accolades for their achievement. The striker feels Otto Rehhagel, Greece’s German coach, is completely responsible for their success.

“The manager of our national team is everything,” Samaras revealed as he spoke to the media at Celtic’s training complex outside Lennoxtown. “What he has achieved with Greece has been amazing.”

Indeed, it has. Despite having a small population, like Scotland, and a mediocre domestic league, Rehhagel has made Greece a side capable of competing with the very best in international football.

“In my opinion, the Greek clubs do not help the national team,” Samaras explained. “I think that after Euro 2004 under Rehhagel we had to change things for the better; improve the facilities, improve the stadiums, improve the youth system. But nothing happened.

“I think the Greek league is average and the national team is many levels above it. The manager and the players make the success, not Greek football.

“Many of our players now play outwith Greece but they bring the mentality and culture of what they have learned outside Greece and we put it into the national team. The manager is from Germany and he has put his culture and mentality into the national team. Having a good manager is 100% the key to success.”

What would the SFA give if they could unearth a miracle- worker such as Rehhagel to replace George Burley who could lead the country to their first major finals since France ’98?

Sadly for the long-suffering Tartan Army, there is no chance of Gordon Smith, George Peat and co. luring Rehhagel, who is still going strong at the age of 71, to these shores.

“He turned down a lucrative offer to coach Germany because he wants to stay with us,” Samaras recalled. “The atmosphere around him and us in the camp is just incredible.”

Despite his joy at helping his country book their World Cup berth, Samaras stressed the tournament would not occupy his thoughts whatsoever between now and the end of the season. That will be a relief to Celtic fans, whose team travel to Tayside tomorrow for a difficult encounter with Dundee United at Tannadice, who would like to see the frustrating frontman improve his strike-rate.

“The national team’s the national team and Celtic are Celtic,” Samaras mused. “They are not connected. With Celtic, I must focus on Celtic. I must try to play well and try to win games and titles.

“When I am away with the national team, for a qualifier, the Euros, a World Cup, I must focus on the national team. I have already forgotten the game on Wednesday.

“I won’t think about the World Cup at all between now and the summer. If I was to do that then I would not be doing my job properly here in Scotland.”

Meanwhile, Samaras is confident Celtic winger Aiden McGeady, whose heart was broken in midweek by Thierry Henry’s controversial hand ball in the Republic of Ireland’s play-off defeat by France in Paris, will be ready to face United.

Samaras said: “I think he is a strong guy and he can move forward. I know what happened wasn’t fair, but there is nothing he can do about that. You can blame the referee, the linesman, anyone, but nothing is going to change.”

Samaras’ team-mate Scott Brown is being sent to see a series of medical specialists by Celtic in a bid to ascertain the cause of the ankle injury which has kept him out of the side for a month.

Tony Mowbray, the Celtic manager, said: “We are making sure he is seeing the best people available and canvassing some opinions. I am making sure Scott gets the right treatment and is back playing and 100% fit as soon as possible.”