O’NEILL SET FOR TALKS WITH SCOTS

THE Scottish FA are set to begin negotiations with Michael O’Neill over the vacant Scotland job. The Northern Ireland boss has long been the top target to succeed Gordon Strachan with Steh SFA repeatedly criticised for failing to move quickly to get their man. But Sportsmail understands the IFA have responded to requests to provide details of the exact compensation figure they will accept to release O’Neill from his current contract. And the SFA have communicated their willingness to meet the IFA terms — clearing the way for formal talks to take place next week. Under the terms of a four-year extension signed last February, IFA sources claim O’Neill (above) can leave for another international job if they are paid £500,000. Clubs from the English Premier League, Celtic and others of a similar stature face a bill of £750,000. It’s unclear if the SFA have agreed to pay the full £500,000 or have negotiated a lesser sum. By providing an undertaking to meet the figure stipulated by the IFA, however, the SFA are free to commence talks following a lengthy stand-off. KILMARNOCK striker Kris Boyd hopes to honour the memory of his brother Scott by encouraging more people to open up about mental health issues. Boyd and his family were struck by tragedy in September 2016 when his younger sibling took his own life at the age of 27.

THE Morocco 2026 World Cup bid, still without details of host cities or stadia with six months until the vote, has hired international strategy consultants. London-based VERO, which worked on Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid, says it will ‘shape the vision’ of the expanded 48team tournament in Morocco. Its only rival for 2026 is a joint bid from the United States, Mexico and Canada.