O’Neill talks ‘productive’

MICHAEL O’NEILL has asked for time to consider his options following ‘productive’ talks with the SFA over the Scotland job. The Northern Ireland boss met SFA chief executive Stewart Regan and president Alan McRae yesterday afternoon to discuss an offer to become the highest-paid Scotland manager in history. The two

sides are expected to hold talks again today. The preferred candidate to succeed Gordon Strachan, 48-year-old O’Neill is a man in demand. In charge of his homeland since December 2011, the Irish FA expect the former Hibs and Dundee United winger to accept their offer of a new six-year contract worth £700,000 per annum, while the SFA have offered a four-year deal on less money. However, having agreed to meet the £500,000 exit clause in his current deal, the SFA have also offered a lucrative bonus for leading the national team to their first major finals since 1998. With Hampden hosting three Euro 2020 games, the hope is that O’Neill will find the prospect of a new challenge more appealing than breathing fresh life into an ageing Northern Ireland squad. SFA sources described yesterday’s discussions as productive, with O’Neill impressing Hampden chiefs by grilling them at length on future plans for the national team. Both parties will now go away to reflect on the next move with no timeline in place for a decision. O’Neill (right) is currently scheduled to attend Wednesday’s draw for the Nations League in Lausanne. It’s unclear yet if he will do so as manager of Northern Ireland or as the new boss of Scotland. Meanwhile, Senegal boss Aliou Cisse has revealed his World Cup-bound side are set to face Scotland in a friendly at a yet unnamed London venue in March because the African nation can’t find anyone else to play them. The Scots are hoping to arrange friendlies for March and June before they begin their Nations League qualifiers in September. Now it looks like they could be taking on Liverpool’s Sadio Mane and Co because Senegal have run out of suitable opponents for a warm-up match before heading for Russia in the summer. Ex-Portsmouth star Cisse said: ‘People think that because we qualified for the World Cup everyone wants to play against Senegal. But that’s not the case. ‘I would have liked to play against Brazil, Argentina, France, Germany. But these teams have already arranged their World Cup preparations. ‘We would rather have played countries who are similar to Poland, Colombia and Japan, who we will play in Russia. ‘But we have to be satisfied with whoever is on the market and available for games.’