Mixu high on United shortlist

DUNDEE UNITED chairman Stephen Thompson will today step up his hunt for a successor to sacked boss Jackie McNamara — with Mixu Paatelainen and Stuart McCall both early front-runners. The team’s 2-1 defeat at 10-man St Johnstone on Saturday, leaving United in 11th place and only two points off the bottom of the Premiership, proved the final straw for Thompson, who handed McNamara a letter after the match at McDiarmid

From Back Page Park confirming his time as manager was up. United and McNamara’s lawyers were meeting yesterday to thrash out a severance package for the 41-year-old who is contracted until summer 2017. But it is expected that confirmation of his departure, along with his coaching team of Darren Jackson, Simon Donnelly and Craig Hinchcliffe will come in the next 48 hours. That left Thompson busy drawing up a list of potential successors, including former Hibs and Kilmarnock boss Paatelainen, who has been out of work since being sacked as manager of his native Finland in June and has also been linked with the vacant post at Motherwell. Ex-Fir Park and Rangers boss McCall is also being heavily touted. Ross County boss Jim McIntyre, whose No 2 is another ex-Tannadice forward, Billy Dodds, has also caught the eye of the United boardroom. So, too, has St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright, who steered the Perth club to their first silverware by beating United in the 2014 Scottish Cup Final. But, as with McIntyre and Dodds at County, compensation would be due to prise 51-year-old Wright from his contract. Raith Rovers boss Ray McKinnon is also being linked with the job. Another option could be Steven Pressley, who is out of work after his sacking by Coventry in February. Candidates from Spain and as far afield as Hong Kong are also reportedly expressing an interest.