Brown keeps dignity in defeat

Craig Brown stood firm yesterday in the face of what he termed "a knee-jerk reaction" to Scotland's near-certain exit from the World Cup, insisting he would remain manager at least until next month's final qualifier against Latvia unless the Scottish Football Association sacks him.

Brown returned from Brussels in the early hours after the 2-0 defeat to Belgium in Group Six. The result left Scotland with only the slimmest of chances of advancing to the Far East and put the conclusion of Brown's eight-year reign high on the media agenda, if not on that of the executive committee of the SFA, which convened in the afternoon but did not officially discuss his position.

The 61-year-old Brown, who is contracted until the end of the year, was barely back in the country before Radio Five Live, for whom he often works as a match summariser, was leading sports bulletins with the "news" that a minor former Scotland player felt that he should give way to the Hibernian manager, Alex McLeish.

Some of the 12,000-strong Scotland following, beating a rain-drenched retreat from the Belgian capital amid flight cancellations caused by a pilots' strike, aired similar views. However, Brown insisted he would resist a clamour he regards as having been manufactured by the media.

"It's a knee-jerk reaction to a disappointment but I'm not going to walk away as long as I'm required," he told the assembled scribes. "I've got three months on my contract and I'll honour it unless asked not to. I'd be sadly lacking in courtesy if I shared my thoughts with you before any discussions whatsoever with the president or the committee."

Brown's predecessor, Andy Roxburgh, resigned in 1993 the day after Scotland's failure to qualify for the World Cup in the United States was confirmed. Brown, who was Roxburgh's assistant, led them to Euro 96 and France 98 without managing to progress to the second phase for the first time.

And yet, with substantially fewer players from whom to choose than the "auld enemy", he has maintained the Scots' self-respect within the international game. Wednesday's defeat was their first in 10 away matches. Since the last World Cup they have won in England, Germany and the Republic of Ireland at a time when the country's top clubs have fared badly in Europe.

Now, though, barring an improbably big win over Latvia and a Belgian victory in Croatia, Scotland will be absent from back-to-back finals of major tournaments for the first time since 1972. The hurt is all the more acute because England are on the verge of booking their place in Japan and South Korea.

As in any campaign that ends in recrimination, Scotland will reflect on several "if only" moments. If only they had taken some gilt-edged chances late in the 1-1 draw against Croatia in Zagreb; matched Belgium's scoring spree at home to the glorified mountain top that is San Marino; and, crucially, done more to prevent a 2-1 lead over a Belgian side reduced to 10 men for two-thirds of the match at Hampden Park from becoming a draw in stoppage time.

In fact, Scotland failed to win any of the four fixtures against their principal rivals, just as they did during the qualifying series for Euro 2000, when the Czech Republic defeated them twice. Latvia's visit at least offers the prospect of finishing on a winning note, the Scots having prevailed in all three previous meetings by a 5-0 aggregate.

But even if they produce such a margin in the space of 90 minutes in Glasgow next month – thereby equalling their biggest win under Brown, against San Marino in 1995 – it would not be enough to secure a play-off spot. Anything less than a convincing Scottish success might well have the effect of turning smouldering discontent into a full-blown fans' revolt.

In those circumstances, Brown, who has always called himself a supporter who happens to run the national side, might relinquish the job he loves and has executed with dignity, intelligence, geniality and professionalism. Tempting as a fresh approach and younger figurehead may seem, he will be a hard act to follow.