Paul Dickov has called on Scottish Football Association chiefs to hand Malky Mackay the vacant Scotland managerial job.

The disgraced former Cardiff City and Wigan Athletic boss was placed in temporary charge for last week's 1-0 loss to the Netherlands at Pittodrie.

Mackay was quickly ruled out of taking on the job full-time, with SFA chief executive Stewart Regan revealing ahead of that friendly defeat that he is looking elsewhere for a permanent successor to Gordon Strachan.

Former Scotland international Dickov believes that the 45-year-old is the right man to take Scotland forward, however, telling Sky Sports News: "I'd like to see Malky. He will have the players on his side.

"He's a very clever guy, a good football guy. He's got Scotland at heart. If he has been overlooked I don't understand why."

Mackay is currently employed as SFA performance director - a position that he has held for the past 11 months.