Tommy Wright is open to offers from Dundee United to become their next boss…with a caveat.
Wright, who is St Johnstone’s greatest-ever manager, has been installed as the bookies’ favourite to succeed Robbie Neilson, whose Sunday night departure to Hearts left the Tannadice club in shock.
The Northern Irishman has a track record that should interest any board: one Scottish Cup, four European qualifications and five top-six Premiership finishes in seven years on a modest budget.
United sporting director Tony Asghar, on whose shoulders the responsibility of the next appointment appears to rest, will have his name on his list.
However, if the Tangerines do want Wright then they may have to make a change to how things are run behind the scenes.
The 56-year-old is used to a more hands-on role in recruitment and the day-to-day running of the club than Neilson, on the face of it, had at United.
Another early name in the frame is that of Craig Levein, who has revealed he would be interested in a return to Tannadice if offered a second stint as boss.
Levein was in charge of United between October 2006 and December 2009 and enjoyed a great relationship with then owner Eddie Thompson before leaving to become Scotland’s national coach.
His Tannadice tenure started the successful era that would include the 2010 Scottish Cup final under Peter Houston.
Most recently, Levein has been director of football at Hearts, who have just taken head coach Robbie Neilson off the Tangerines.
It would some turn up for the books to see Levein back at Tannadice and Neilson in the Tynecastle dugout but the 55-year-old didn’t rule it out when he spoke to the BBC’s Sportsound podcast.
Levein said: “I had four years at Dundee United and, as much as I loved my time at Hearts, those years were quite special for me.
“I managed to build a really strong team and I would never say never to the Dundee United job.
“Yeah – having a conversation is something that I think would be interesting.
“But I don’t know the structure of Dundee United and it is something I would need to look at in great detail if I was offered the chance to get the job. I would have to look at it in great detail before I accepted.”
United assistant Lee McCulloch, who was expected to join Neilson at Tynecastle, may be tempted to stay if Asghar decides he is the man for the job.
Other candidates that have been touted are Livingston boss Gary Holt, Inverness manager John Robertson, former skipper Jon Daly, United’s Scottish Cup-winning gaffer Peter Houston and usual suspects Derek Adams and Stuart McCall.
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