Source: Team_Talk
Levein reveals Scotland desire
Dundee United have reluctantly given their manager permission to discuss the vacancy with the Scottish Football Association, despite chairman Stephen Thompson expressing anger at the way their approach became public knowledge.[LNB]Levein will now hold talks with SFA chief executive Gordon Smith, who is spearheading the search for Burley's replacement.[LNB]Levein, who is also director of football at Tannadice, is under contract until May 2012 so significant compensation will be required.[LNB]He said: "There has been an approach from the SFA asking to speak to me, and after meeting the chairman today, he gave me permission to speak to them.[LNB]"The next stage will be speaking to the SFA and seeing what they have to say.[LNB]"Of course it is something that interests me; I would not have asked the chairman to let me speak to them if that was not the case.[LNB]"I am 100% interested in being the Scotland manager. Whether that's right now or at another time, I don't know.[LNB]"Speaking to the SFA is the courteous and right thing to do.[LNB]"But me speaking to them doesn't necessarily mean I am leaving the club. I have to stress that.[LNB]"Whether it's right for me at this particular time, I don't know.[LNB]"I will speak to them about the job, see what it entails and see what happens from there."[LNB]The 45-year-old, who has a clause in his contract allowing him to speak to certain interested parties, has been one of the favourites for the post since the sacking of Burley last month.[LNB]He repeatedly refused to discuss the vacancy until the SFA made their move last night.[LNB]United held a board meeting today where it was decided to allow Levein to speak to the national association.[LNB]The Tangerines are desperate to keep their manager but realise they cannot stand in his way should he decide he wants the Scotland job.[LNB]Chairman Thompson said: "Following the call from Gordon Smith on Wednesday night requesting permission to speak to Craig Levein about becoming Scotland manager, we have reluctantly agreed to let Craig speak to the SFA."[LNB]Thompson was furious with the way news of the SFA's approach was leaked overnight.[LNB]"I am very unhappy at the way the SFA have dealt with this," he told BBC Scotland.[LNB]"I received two phone calls yesterday from Gordon Smith. The first was to ask for permission to speak to Craig.[LNB]"Later, I received another call from Gordon to tell me that an east coast journalist had leaked the story.[LNB]"I had told Gordon that I wanted 24 hours to consider the request and had told no-one about it except my board.[LNB]"The local press did not run the story, so where did it come from?"[LNB]There had been reports Levein, who has been at Tannadice for just over three years, was only one name on a five-man shortlist but the SFA have insisted he is the only manager to be approached about the vacancy.[LNB]Chief executive Smith revealed earlier this week there were some eye-catching names among the applicants to replace Burley, who was sacked last month after a 3-0 friendly defeat in Wales which followed a failed 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign.[LNB]The SFA hope to appoint his successor before the European Championship qualifying draw on February 7.[LNB]Former Hearts and Leicester manager Levein joined United in 2006 with the club bottom of the Scottish Premier League, but has since steered them to challenge for Europe.[LNB]They face Hamilton on Saturday and Levein's immediate focus will be on that before meeting the SFA next week.[LNB]He added: "We've got a game on Saturday and I've done nothing but take calls today.[LNB]"So I will need catch up on stuff ahead of Hamilton because it's an important game."[LNB][LNB][LNB]
