United won’t waste time in replacing McKinnon
DUNDEE UNITED will today step up their search for a new manager, with John Hughes in pole position to land the Tannadice vacancy.
Hughes’ representatives have already held talks with senior figures on the United board and Sportsmail understands that he would relish the chance of taking the job.
United are seeking an experienced campaigner and are keen not to waste any time in appointing a successor to Ray McKinnon, whose protracted departure was confirmed yesterday.
Interviews are set to be held over the next 48 hours, with Jim McIntyre and Alan Stubbs also in the frame, and the club hope to have a new boss in place by the end of the week.
Hughes has been out of work since a disastrous spell in charge of Raith Rovers came to an end in May, but he remains the front-runner for a job he was initially linked with prior to Mixu Paatelainen’s appointment in 2015.
The 53-year-old, who led Inverness Caley Thistle to Scottish Cup glory in the same year, would be tasked with getting United’s faltering promotion push back on track, following two successive defeats.
The Taysiders trail Championship leaders St Mirren by five points ahead of a visit to Dumbarton on Saturday.
They spent much of yesterday thrashing out the terms of McKinnon’s severance package after the 47-year-old’s time in charge was brought to an end in the wake of last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Inverness.
In a statement, McKinnon said: ‘It is disappointing that my time as manager of Dundee United has come to an end.
‘It been an honour and a privilege to both play for and then manage my hometown club that I have supported all my life.
‘I would like to thank the fans for their support over my time in charge. Also, I’d like to thank everyone at Dundee United for their efforts during my tenure.
‘I wish the club every success moving forward and I’m certain they will be back where they belong shortly.’