Campbell Ogilvie out of the running to take over as next SFA chief

CAMPBELL Ogilvie has ruled himself out of contention to succeed Gordon Smith as chief executive of the SFA.

• Campbell Ogilvie: not interested. Picture: TSPL

The Hearts managing director, who has been first vice- president of the SFA for the past three years, had been linked with a full time position at the organisation in the wake of Smith's unheralded resignation on Monday.

But it is understood Ogilvie made it clear at yesterday's scheduled SFA board meeting at Hampden that he neither has any desire to replace Smith or anticipates a request to do so.

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Ogilvie, a former Rangers secretary who has been with Hearts since 2005, is next in the line of accession to the SFA presidency when current incumbent George Peat retires from the role next year.

Peat yesterday formally took on the executive responsibilities vacated by Smith. The SFA president will also oversee the search for a new chief executive which the board agreed will be out-sourced to a leading recruitment agency.

Keith Wyness, the former Aberdeen and Everton chief executive, has publicly expressed his potential interest in the role. Other linked with the job include PFA Scotland chief executive Fraser Wishart.

It appears more likely, however, that the next person at the SFA helm will come from a commercial or legal background in the manner of Smith's predecessor David Taylor. Speaking to The Scotsman yesterday, Taylor insisted there will be no shortage of high quality candidates for the job.

"So as far as I was concerned, it was a great job and it is still a job which many people will find attractive," said Taylor. "There is a lot of frustration involved but a lot of satisfaction as well."

Wyness shares this opinion. Now working in sports consultancy, he would not rule out a return to football.

"It's a job that is certainly attractive," said Wyness.

"There are still opportunities to push things forward in Scottish football and that makes it a fascinating job.

"I still watch a lot of Scottish football and I have kept a foot in Scotland via my place on the board of the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow."

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