Felix Magath throws hit hat into the ring for Scotland job

Three-time Bundesliga-winning manager Felix Magath has thrown his hat into the ring for the vacant Scotland job.

By The Newsroom Saturday, 27th January 2018, 9:00 pm Updated Saturday, 27th January 2018, 9:00 pm

Felix Magath's managerial CV includes three Bundesliga titles but also relegation with Fulham. Picutre: David Rogers/Getty Images

Magath, who played against Scotland at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, won back-to-back doubles with Bayern Munich in 2005 and 2006 before leading the unfancied Wolfsburg to the German title in 2009.

Scottish-based agent Derek Day, who has been working with Magath’s German representatives, said: “Felix remembers playing against Scotland when they regularly got to World Cup finals and had strong club sides in Europe. Something has obviously gone wrong and he would like to help fix that. He has fixed issues at all the clubs he has been at and would welcome the chance to now do that at an international level.”

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The Scottish FA has been forced to go back to the drawing board in its search for a successor to Gordon Strachan following Michael O’Neill’s decision to turn the job down.

O’Neill, Scotland’s No.1 target, opted to remain with Northern Ireland and SFA chief executive Stewart Regan has been drawing up a short-list of candidates.

Magath, 64, had a storied playing career with Hamburg and West Germany. He scored the winning goal in the 1983 European Cup final against Juventus and won 43 caps for Germany. He moved into coaching after a spell as general manager at Hamburg with fourth tier side FC Bremerhaven before returning to Hamburg as reserve team coach, then assistant manager before taking on the top position in 1995.

Magath then led FC Nürnberg to promotion, saved Werder Bremen from relegation whilst also winning the German Cup and he then carried out another rescue act with Eintracht Frankfurt.

His reputation for turning clubs around was by this stage firmly established and he was given the nick-name of ‘der Feuerwehrmann’ – The Fireman.

That reputation was enhanced at VfB Stuttgart before he was rewarded in 2004 with the head coach’s job at Bayern Munich.

The German giants created history with successive league and cup doubles before Magath left in 2007.

He was quickly recruited by Wolfsburg and he led them to the title in 2009 before heading to Schalke 04 and then returning to Wolfsburg.