GREEN LIGHT

SFA plot a move for O’Neill if Swiss end Northern Irish World Cup bid

THE Irish FA are braced for an approach from Scotland for Michael O’Neill should Northern Ireland’s World Cup qualification bid end in Switzerland tonight.

O’Neill (right) has emerged as the leading contender to succeed Gordon Strachan as national coach and SFA chief executive Stewart Regan will monitor events in Basle this evening with a view to making a move.

O’Neill’s team lost the first leg of the qualification play-off following the concession of a disputed penalty at Windsor Park in Thursday’s first leg, but the manager’s work in guiding the smallest of the home nations to the last 16 of Euro 2016 and now contention for Russia 2018 has made him an obvious and uniquely-qualified candidate to spearhead Scotland’s bid to reach Euro 2020.

Regan has insisted there is no rush to make an appointment but has categorically ruled out performance director Malky Mackay from assuming the role on a permanent basis following his caretaker work for Thursday’s friendly defeat to the Netherlands.

Although the IFA know their manager is coveted and are aware of Scotland’s interest, they will wish to hold on to the 48-year-old Edinburgh resident even if they are eliminated tonight. O’Neill signed an extended contract in March 2016 but, although financial compensation would be required to secure his services, the release clause that require a club to fork out around £750,000 would not apply to a national association. When contacted by Sportsmail for an official comment, an IFA spokesman said: ‘Michael O’Neill is contracted until June 2020 and anything beyond that is just speculation.’ O’Neill became the first coach to lead Northern Ireland to a European Championship last year and tonight he aims to break further new ground by making it to back-to-back tournaments.