Steve Clarke admits he’d love to manage Scotland at ‘some stage’ but is focused on Kilmarnock for now

Steve Clarke has ambitions to manage Scotland at “some stage” but refused to be drawn on the possibility of becoming the successor to Alex McLeish.

The Scottish Football Association is on the hunt for a new national team boss after McLeish was sacked on Thursday.

Kilmarnock manager Clarke is among the favourites to be his replacement and ahead of the Ladbrokes Premiership clash with Aberdeen on Saturday, he was asked if he has a desire to manage the national team.

He said: “Yes, at some stage. Whether it is now or not is a matter for you guys to talk about and speculate.

“I am fully focused on finishing the season well here at Kilmarnock.

“I don’t speculate, there is no point in doing that. I know how football works. I am fully focused on this job here.”

Clarke confirmed he has had no contact from the SFA and did say that he would “at this moment in time, probably” prefer working day-to-day at club level rather than with an international side.

The former West Brom manager also stated that any decision he makes about his future at the end of the season would probably involve “personal life against professional life, that’s the biggest decision I have to make”.

The former Scotland defender said: “Whether (the SFA) get in touch or not will be down to them.

“They will do their due diligence. They will get their list of candidates and then they have to decide what to do.

“It is not that long ago since the Scotland job was available, they didn’t speak to me then so I have no reason to think they will speak to me now.

“I am sad for Alex. He is a good man. Very enthusiastic about the job.

“He was down here four weeks again and I had a good chat with him and he had big hopes for the future and it just shows you how short-term football can be sometimes.

“So it’s better for me just to concentrate on my job here and try to finish the job very well.

“I haven’t thought about the job. My job here is at Kilmarnock. I am very happy here.”

Clarke has also been linked with the Fulham and QPR jobs but although he hankers for a return to English football at some stage he has not been contacted by the London clubs.

He said: “I did an article a couple of weeks ago and I said I feel I have unfinished business in English football.

“I would love another crack at it. Whether it is next season or the season after I don’t know.

“But I would love to have another stab at it. But (there has been) nothing from Fulham. I think that is, with all due respect to you guys, lazy journalism where I was linked with the Fulham job before and I’ve been thrown back into the mix.

“I haven’t heard anything about London.”