BROWN BLASTS SFA

SCOTT BROWN has taken a swipe at the at the SFA over their decision to release Scotland gaffer Gordon Strachan.

The Scotland skipper said it was a “sad, sad, sad, day” after the Hampden bosses ripped up his contract just four days after the World Cup dreams ended following Sunday’s 2-2 draw in Slovenia.

But Brown insisted Strachan still had the support of his players who felt he could lead them to the European Championships in 2020.

The Celtic captain, who now looks set to quit international football for a second time, posted on his Instagram account: “We all had faith in Gordon and believed in making the Euros. 14 points out of 18 in 2017 momentum was on our side.”

In their statement announcing Strachan’s departure, the SFA said it had “agreed” with the 60-year-old that fresh leadership was required ahead of their Euro 2020 bid.

And former Scotland captain Graeme Souness admitted he thought his former international colleague had taken the side as far as he could.

He said: “It’s sad we didn’t qualify this time round from what was a relatively easy group.

“I think had we qualified or at least got second, he’d have stayed and looked forward possibly to the next Euros.

“It’s all about results. He’s not got what he wanted in terms of qualifying so I know Gordon and he wouldn’t have hung about if he felt he couldn’t do that job.

“As a national manager, you can only pick what’s out there and right now Scotland don’t have a fabulous group to pick from.

“The professional in him will say: ‘We should have qualified’. Gordon will get criticism because he’s a football manager – like all managers do.

“But I wouldn’t criticise him because I think he did a good job with what he had to work with.”