Former Scotland striker Kris Boyd has called for Scottish Football Association to be ambitious in appointing Alex McLeish's successor.

McLeish's second spell as national team manger ended with the sack after SFA board members gathered for a meeting at Hampden on Thursday morning.

Boyd, who played for his country under McLeish in 2007, accused the SFA of taking the "easy option" with previous appointments.

"The SFA have acted, they've taken Alex out of the firing line but it's up to somebody else to now come in and carry the can forward," Boyd told Sky Sports News.

"The big thing for me is the SFA keep going and hiring people who have been out of work, taking the easy option.

"For me, show a bit of ambition, go and get someone who's at a club doing well, invest in something.

"If it was my choice, I would go and get someone who is currently with a club, you're investing in something and you can get a bit more credibility from the fans."

Steve Clarke, who manages Boyd at Kilmarnock, has been touted as a potential successor to McLeish.

But Kille captain Boyd is unsure whether his club boss would be interested in the role.

"I don't know if that's something that he will want to do. He's been linked with a few jobs down south, bottom of the Premier League, Championship," said Boyd.

"He might want to stay in the day-to-day side of football."

Speaking about other candidates, Boyd continued: "(Aberdeen manager) Derek McInnes, he might be looking for a fresh challenge, maybe.

"You've got David Moyes and people like that who are out of work.

"Malky Mackay (SFA performance director) is already in the building and it might be the only way Malkay can get back into management."

Retired striker Kevin Gallacher, who represented Scotland between 1988 and 2001, called for a new face to take over.

"I think if anything it's got to be someone fresh, someone new just to try and take the country forward," he said.