Raith Rovers legend backs O’Neill for top club post

Raith Rovers legend believes Northern Ireland manager would spurn Scotland job for club post

Raith Rovers legend Jimmy Nicholl reckons Michael O’Neill is destined for a return to club management – despite speculation linking the Northern Ireland boss with the Scotland vacancy.

O’Neill, who was in Zurich yesterday to see his side paired with Switzerland in the World Cup qualification play-offs, is among the favourites to succeed Gordon Strachan after working wonders across the water.

The 48-year-old still lives in Edinburgh following stints as a player with Hibernian and Dundee United and a twoyear spell in charge of Brechin City, while his assistants Nicholl and Austin MacPhee, both ply their trade in Scotland.

However, Nicholl – yesterday unveiled as Falkirk’s new assistant to Paul Hartley – believes a top club job is more likely to test the resolve of the highly-rated coach, Moreover, he has suggested it could happen before the World Cup.

That would be a dilemma he recalls well, having been on the books of Manchester United when Tommy Docherty left Scotland for Old Trafford in 1972.

Nicholl said: “Let’s say Michael gets through the play-offs and he is taking Northern Ireland to a World Cup next year, then a big club comes in. It happened to Tommy Docherty years ago. I was at Manchester United at the time, so I remember it well.

“Tommy was taking Scotland to a World Cup, but then Manchester United came calling – and he didn’t take Scotland to a World Cup.

“That could be Michael’s next big decision, particularly if we get past Switzerland and his stock is sky-high.

“That could be something pulling away at his heart-strings.”

Nicholl, however, can understand why O’Neill is drawing admiring glances, having taken Ireland to the last-16 of Euro 2016 and to within 180 minutes of their first World Cup since 1982.

He added: “When you see how he works, the response he gets from the players and talking to individuals, and collectively, then you can see why he is so highly thought of.

“The ‘secret’ is the players respecting the manager, what he asks them to do and then doing that. You see the training, the preparation and the work that goes into qualification games, it speaks for itself. He has got the best out of his resources.”

Meanwhile veteran coach Nicholl – who had two spells in charge at Raith Rovers in the 1990s and led them to two First Division titles – admits he feels like pinching himself.

When you see how he works... then you can see why he is so highly thought of. JIMMY NICHOLL