GEORGE Burley continues to play down speculation linking him with the vacant Scotland manager's job.

The Saints boss been mentioned as one name on a supposed shortlist of four with Motherwell boss Mark McGhee, Celtic assistant Tommy Burns and former Dell manager Graeme Souness.

Ex-Derby manager Billy Davies, like Souness currently out of a job, has also been linked with the post vacated when Alex McLeish resigned to take over at Birmingham.

But while pleased that Scotland look set to appoint one of his fellow countrymen, if not him, Burley insists he is not being distracted by the speculation.

He said: "I've always said it's better to have a Scotsman managing Scotland and an Englishman managing England, where possible, and it's up to the SFA to appoint the right man.

"I'm just focused on doing as good a job as I can for Southampton."

Burley won 11 full caps for Scotland between 1979 and 1982 after representing his country at youth, under-21 and under-23 level.

Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith has refused to reveal names or numbers involved in the race for the national team manager's job.

Smith denied yesterday's unveiling of new SFA youth supremo Billy Stark, who worked with Burns at Kilmarnock and Celtic, was a precursor to the former Scotland coach being appointed national team boss.

Burns had one game as caretaker manager of his country after Berti Vogts' departure in 2004.

"There has been so much speculation," said Smith. "The process is on-going at the moment and we are narrowing it down.

"But I don't want to give the exact number of names or people who are involved in the process.

"We would like to have somebody in position by the end of January.

"We want to get it down to the level of candidate where any of them would be a good manager for Scotland."

Burley's managerial image in Scotland is good - stemming mainly from the fact that he had revitalised Hearts in the early months of 2005/06 prior to resigning due to "irreconcible differences" with the club's owners.