Saints boss George Burley has played down reports continuing to link him with the vacant Scotland post.

Burley is said to be on a shortlist of four managers that the Scottish Football Association are considering, with an appointment likely by the end of this month.

Favourites for the job include Mark McGhee, currently in charge at Motherwell and Tommy Burns, the former Scotland assistant manager under German Bertie Vogts and now number two at Celtic.

Burley - and another ex-Saint, Graeme Souness - make up the named quartet but the Saints boss, while refusing to rule himself out of the running, believes he won't be approached.

He said: "I don't think that will come at the moment, thanks!

"I've always been an advocate of an English manager managing England and a Scottish manager managing Scotland, but that's up to the SFA."

Burley had been quoted at the time of Alex McLeish's departure from the post in November that, on a general note, the chance to manage Scotland would be something that would appeal to him.

He said: "The national job is interesting but about 500 people have been linked with the job and, if you have a Scottish accent, you've got a chance."

A spokesman for the SFA said: "We are still on course for a January appointment.

"We have identified a shortlist and will be looking to speak to people as soon as we can."