Owen Coyle rules out Scotland role

Owen Coyle has called for an end to speculation linking him with the Scotland job by underlining that he has no intention of leaving Burnley.

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Owen Coyle won promotion from the Championship last season

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Coyle was mentioned as a possible contender to replace George Burley after the Scottish Football Association reacted to a 3-0 friendly defeat to Wales at the weekend by sacking the national team manager.

But Coyle, who also turned down a move to Celtic over the summer, remains committed to consolidating Burnley's place in the Premier League having achieved promotion last season.

"There's nothing to be said about Scotland, I'm the Burnley manager and that's it," Coyle said. "Without going overboard about it, we'll put some closure on this just now.

"We have a big, big job here to do what we are doing in the Premier League and I don't want any distraction ahead of the Aston Villa game on Saturday. It's as simple as that - I'm the Burnley manager.

"I've been in the position before where there has been advances from other clubs and I have always said that I am loving everything that I am doing at this football club. That remains the case so I think that would tell everybody my feelings. I love it at Burnley Football Club, my job is here and that is what I will look to continue to do."

Dundee United manager Craig Levein, Kilmarnock's Jim Jefferies and former Hibernian boss John Collins are all believed to be leading candidates as the SFA begin the process of recruiting the man responsible for negotiating the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.

Coyle believes Scotland should widen their search to include foreign managers, citing the success enjoyed by Fabio Capello in his role as England manager.

"When all is said and done you want the right man in charge, and England have shown that," Coyle said. "I believe there is a lot of top English coaches out there but they went for Mr Capello. He has taken them to the championships and who is to say they won't thrive.

"The bottom line is that you want someone who can go out and deliver success and bring it back to Scottish football. When you look back at the history, the national team has probably punched above their weight, for such a small country to reach the World Cup finals and Europeans Championships in the way that they did.

"But there's no reason with their group of players and the younger players coming through and the right man in charge, that they can't go on and qualify for major championships."

Meanwhile, Coyle has tipped Tyrone Mears to be a surprise contender for an England call-up after praising the Clarets defender for his contribution this season.

"England were struggling for a right back and, for me, Tyrone Mears is playing as well as anybody in the Premier League,'' Coyle said. "It's up to us to find young English players and nurture them, which is what we have tried to do and hopefully one day we will see someone else up there, a Burnley player with an England cap.

"I think it's fair to say that (Glen) Johnson is a top player and you would think he would be the number one choice for that position. But for me, Tyrone Mears has acquitted himself as well as anybody in that position in the Premier League this season and it's up to Tyrone to keep delivering those performances.

"If he does, as I have said to all my players, then people will look at them and look at them in a positive light. They will see how well they are doing and ultimately that is what they will be judged on.''

Mears is currently waiting to hear from FIFA about whether he is allowed to play for England, having appeared for Jamaica under John Barnes in a friendly international earlier this year after being told his family had roots in the country.

The defender - who was born to a British mother in Stockport - subsequently discovered that he has no Jamaican heritage and is now hoping the appearance will not ruin his England dreams