O’Neill still a viable target

MICHAEL O’NEILL does not believe he is too big for the Scotland job — but the SFA won’t land him on the cheap. That was the warning yesterday from the in-demand Northern Ireland boss’ right-hand man, Austin

MacPhee. O’Neill tops the Hampden wish list to replace the sacked Gordon Strachan, who departed his post after failed qualifying campaigns for Euro 2016 and the World Cup in Russia next summer. But there has been little movement since SFA chief executive Stewart Regan first approached his counterparts in Belfast last month to seek permission to open talks with the 48-year-old. The former Brechin City and Shamrock Rovers manager has two years left on his current £500,000-a-year contract and discussions have begun with the Irish Football Association over a new four-year extension. To get permission to start talks with O’Neill, the SFA would need to meet the £500,000 figure in his contract. Then they would need to offer him a wage rise to make it worth his while. And MacPhee hinted Hampden chiefs would have to dig deep to land their No1 target. However, the Hearts assistant manager shot down suggestions O’Neill might view the SFA post as being beneath him given his incredible feats since moving into international management six years ago. MacPhee said: ‘I don’t think anybody would ever be above the Scotland job. Sir Alex Ferguson would never say he was above the Scotland job. ‘But naturally he (O’Neill) is now in a financial bracket which links you with some jobs and not others. ‘I mean, Brechin are not going to come calling now and that’s because of the financial bracket he is in, following the success he has had. ‘There are pros and cons in lots of different jobs. ‘If Alex Ferguson says he is not above the Scotland job, and I haven’t asked Michael specifically, then I certainly wouldn’t say Michael was.’ O’Neill led Northern Ireland to their first major tournament in 30 years at Euro 2016 and took them into the last 16. MacPhee admits speculation over his future is unlikely to cease even if he does decide to sign a new deal with the IFA. ‘Michael is under contract with the IFA and so am I. It’s not something I want to talk about too much right now,’ he said. ‘He’s a fantastic manager. There will be speculation about him all the time. ‘Right now he’s the national team manager who has had the biggest increase in world rankings, globally, so that puts you on every board’s radar. ‘He has taken Northern Ireland from 133rd to 20th — an increase of 113 places. No other manager has done that.’