Dee may have to fly out to get Ross

DUNDEE may have to clock up the air miles if they want to secure Jack Ross as their next manager.

The St Mirren boss is the clear front-runner for the job at Dens Park after the club couldn’t agree a deal to make interim gaffer Neil McCann’s stay permanent.

And the Tele understands Ross, whose career started as a youth player with the Dee, is very interested in taking over.

But Dundee are not the only club showing an interest in the 40-year-old, who is regarded as the bright young managerial talent in the country right now.

If, and it remains an if, Aberdeen were to lose Derek McInnes to Sunderland, it’s believed they’d be keen to at least interview Ross.

That could see Dundee move quickly to tie him up before there are any unwanted developments in the Granite City.

The problem for Dark Blues managing director John Nelms is that Ross is currently out of the country on holiday.

One way around that problem would be for Nelms to arrange a meeting with his top target and jump on a plane to get there.

If, as expected, Dundee do make a firm move to appoint him — and they have already sought permission from St Mirren to open talks — compensation should not be an issue.

When Ross moved from Alloa to the Buddies last October, he had a clause inserted in his contract that meant other clubs would have to pay no more than £20,000 in order to secure his services.

While Ross’s performance i n keeping St Mirren in the Championship means he’s an obvious choice for any Premiership club needing a manager, his switch to Dens is not yet a done deal.

Other candidates remain in the frame and any applications to take over from McCann will be given proper consideration by the board.

They could include former Hibs and Rotherham boss Alan Stubbs, Ross County gaffer Jim McIntyre and even former player Temuri Ketsbaia. There could also be an application from former Dens striker Fabrizio Ravanelli, who is keen for a managerial role in the UK and wanted the job before McCann took interim charge.

And while it’s unlikely he would apply, consideration may also be given to a third spell as boss for Jim Duffy.

Ross, though, remains very much the front-runner.

Jack Ross (left) is listed as the bookies’ favourite to take the hotseat at Dens, with names like former Dark Blues boss Jim Duffy also being touted.