Sport 02-11-2004 Vogts Quits After Fan Spits who: Berti Vogts what: Quits job as coach of Scotland football team when: Yesterday snippet: Berti Vogts has resigned as coach of the Scotland football team but has angered fans by refusing to accept any blame for the team`s poor performance since he took over from Craig Brown in March 2002. "The major factor in this decision has been the disgraceful abuse that I have suffered," he says in a statement published yesterday and quoted in today`s Daily Record. "It has degenerated into a physical nature, especially on recent occasions where I have been spat upon. This is not acceptable behaviour in a civilised society and I know that the vast majority of Scots will join me in my disgust at this act by a very tiny minority." Vogts` assistant, Tommy Burns, may pick the team for the friendly against Sweden at Easter Road on November 17th but the SFA will meet on Thursday to decide on his successor. Gary McAllister has been mentioned and "Gordon Strachan emerged as the popular choice after last month`s frustrating draw in Moldova," says The Independent. But the man everyone in the press is tipping to lead the squad to face Group Five World Cup qualifying favourites Italy in March next year is Walter Smith, "the former Rangers and Everton manager who worked as No 2 at Manchester United last season". However, "Champagne" Charlie Nicholas tells The Scotsman`s Ian Johnson that there will have to be changes in the SFA before a first class manager will take the job. "It [the SFA] is run predominantly by amateurs and it`s time to put in professionals," he says. "Until they do that, the problem won`t go away." [... more]

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