James McFadden: 'Scotland must move quickly to recruit Michael O'Neill'

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 07 January 2018

Scotland risk losing out on top target Michael O'Neill if they do not move swiftly for the Northern Ireland manager, warns James McFadden.

Former Scotland striker James McFadden has urged his nation's football association to move quickly for Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill.

The 48-year-old is the Scottish FA's preferred candidate to succeed Gordon Strachan.

However, the SFA has yet to offer the £500,000 needed to release O'Neill from his Northern Ireland contract.

O'Neill, who took the Wee Country to Euro 2016 and the World Cup playoffs, is under contract for two more years and has been offered a lucrative four-year extension.

"You've got to go and get him," McFadden told BBC Sport. "Bigger nations, bigger clubs, they just do it. You don't hear 'this is who we want' and then not meet the compensation. Meet the compensation, then speak to him.

"Ultimately, most managers want to work in the Premier League. If you want Michael O'Neill, you have to go and get him before another club job comes up.

"Look at [former Wales manager] Chris Coleman. Sunderland moved quickly to get him in. They decided 'he's our man' and went and got him. Scotland should be doing the same.

"Michael O'Neill says he wants his future sorted. I think it should have been done long before now. He is saying to the SFA 'how much do you want me?' At the minute, they are not showing enough, for me.

"He's been offered a six-year contract [by Northern Ireland], so the gauntlet has been laid down to Scotland. 'Show me how much you want me and I'll walk away from fabulous money'."

Strachan left his position on October 12, four days after Scotland fell short in their bid to reach the World Cup playoffs.