Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Former Utd star favourite for the
DUNDEE United are still in the hunt for a new manager to replace Robbie Neilson after one-time favourite Steve McClaren pulled out of the race.
It is understood family reasons were behind the former England, Middlesbrough and Newcastle gaffer’s decision to reject the chance to take over at Tannadice.
Tonight, Tele Sport assesses the remaining candidates.
Billy McKinlay – odds: 6-5
McKinlay (51), nicknamed Badger, is just the latest contender to carry the favourite’s tag.
He is one of United’s finest-ever midfielders, making 284 appearances for the club and scoring 31 goals.
He left the Tangerines for £1.75 million in September 1995, just after netting a hat-trick in a 3-2 derby win over Dundee. Not a bad parting gift.
His first step into coaching came at Fulham, where he took the reserves, and he was named as Northern Ireland No 2 in 2012.
McKinlay has also been first-team coach at Watford, assistant at Real Sociedad in Spain, boss of Norwegian side Stabaek and coach at both Sunderland and West Ham United.
Knows the club, has plenty to prove and is loved by United fans.
Pros:
No experience of being a manager outright in either Scotland or England.
Cons: Malky Mackay – odds: 9-4
Just five days ago, the job looked to be Mackay’s if he wanted it but even that is a long time in football, especially when United are involved.
The current SFA performance director comes with a fair amount of baggage because of the unacceptable texts that surfaced after he left Cardiff City.
His backers, though, would point out that he has worked at both Wigan and the SFA since, serving the governing body well for three and a half years. Mackay’s supporters would also argue he is a reformed character and deserves to be judged as the person he is now.
His managerial CV is the most impressive of the remaining candidates, having bossed Cardiff in the English Premier League and taken the Welsh side to the League Cup Final. He has also managed Watford as well as Wigan.
Experienced, obviously keen to get back into the club game and knows the Scottish football inside out after those SFA years.
Pros:
He could struggle to put his controversial past behind him and a fair number of fans are opposed to his appointment.
Cons: Micky Mellon – odds: 3-1
His name has been there or thereabouts for over a week now (see inset). A Scot who is Paisleyborn, Mellon isn’t well-known in these parts it’s fair to say.
That is because the Tranmere Rovers gaffer’s entire playing and managerial career has been spent in England after he joined Bristol City as a 17-year-old in 1989.
However, Mellon deserves a look because of what he has achieved, even if it has been in the lower levels down south.
He led Fleetwood Town to the Conference Premier title in 2012, was a League Two runner-up with Shrewsbury Town in 2015 and won successive promotions with