Whiteside, McFadden and Rodgers have their say on O'Neill's future

As speculation continues to grow over Michael O’Neill’s future, ex-Northern Ireland star Norman Whiteside has been having his say.

The former Manchester United striker, in Belfast last night for a speaking engagement with Paul McGrath, urged O’Neill to stay – rather than take the Scotland job.

But ex Scottish international James McFadden believes he would have plenty to work with if he moved.

“Michael O’Neill would take the Scotttish job over Northern Ireland because the players are better and the reason you would get Michael O’Neill in because he made them a better team,” he said.

“So if he can make Northern Ireland a better team than Scotland what can he do with better players.”

Meanwhile, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers believes his compatriot would do well in Scotland.

O'Neill is the Scottish Football Association's top candidate to succeed Gordon Strachan and the subject of an official approach from Hampden.

The former Hibernian player is approaching his sixth anniversary in charge of Northern Ireland and Rodgers feels there are plenty of options for him after he led his team to Euro 2016 and the verge of the World Cup finals.

If it is Michael then he can look and see there is a really talented group of players there that are developing very well,'' he said.There is a nucleus of a very exciting squad and you go into the European Championship next year and feel you would have a chance of qualifying.

If he is looking at Scotland he might think, 'Okay, there is a really good bunch of players here that are developing and there is a chance to get them to the Euros and then obviously on to the World Cup after that'. If he sees that as a challenge then I think Scotland is a great job for someone.''

Uncertainty over O'Neill's future has sparked speculation over who might replace him as Northern Ireland boss.

Hibernian head coach Neil Lennon is keen to stay in club management but St Johnstone's Tommy Wright and Motherwell boss Stephen Robinson are obvious candidates and both have worked on O'Neill's coaching staff.

Wright stressed he was happy in Perth and added: My chairman (Steve Brown) wants me to stay longer. When we signed the last contract, and that was quite a while ago, he said that one day, when you leave here, it could be for your national team job.

He knows that it is like any Scottish manager, if they were linked to the Scottish job, your country is your country, and for me it is the top job that I could probably ever achieve.''

Robinson admitted it was a massive honour'' to be linked with his national team job.

The 42-year-old added: To manage your country and even be linked with that is huge.

I take great pride in being from Northern Ireland and being part of the set-up before was a massive part of things for me.

It's great but as it stands at this moment in time, I'm the Motherwell manager, I'm very much enjoying it and Michael is the manager of Northern Ireland, we must not forget.

He hasn't made that decision yet so at the minute nothing changes and I'm very happy at Motherwell.'