St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes will today be interviewed by Bristol City after travelling down to Ashton Gate last night.
McInnes is one of only two candidates for the vacant post Mark Robins being the other and the former West Bromwich Albion, Rangers and Dundee United midfielder is the strong favourite to take over the team that is rock bottom of the English Championship.
City, who lost at home to Peterborough at the weekend, will play their next game at Crystal Palace on Tuesday night and a formal announcement of who is taking over from the sacked Keith Millen is expected to take place on Wednesday.
Should McInnes say goodbye to Saints this week, he will have signed off in style with a fine 2-0 victory over Inverness Caley Thistle at McDiarmid Park, a result that moved them just a point behind Celtic in the SPL.
Chairman Geoff Brown, who last week gave City the go-ahead to speak to McInnes, is reluctant to lose him even though he would be leaving the club in good shape.
”It is no secret that Derek is going down to Bristol for an interview but if he comes back here still as St Johnstone manager then I will be more than happy,” said Brown last night.
McInnes, who was applauded and cheered by the home fans after the final whistle on Saturday, confirmed the job is one that interests him.
”The chairman has allowed me to speak to them and has obviously agreed something with them,” said McInnes. ”It is a case of going down and waiting to see what develops.
”The first decision was the chairman’s to allow me to go and the next decision, if anything is to be done, will be Bristol’s.’Attraction”’I am reluctant to even speak about leaving because all it is is an opportunity to speak to them.
”The fact I am going down to speak obviously means there is an attraction there but I am reluctant to say any more on it.
”The decision isn’t mine at the minute it is Bristol’s decision.”
McInnes declared himself content with the shape Saints are in and he is right to feel satisfied with his achievements since stepping up to take over from Owen Coyle.
”Since we came in a few seasons ago with the team fourth bottom of the First Division, everything is better about the club,” he said. ”The playing staff is better, the training facilities are better everything is better.
”We have taken the club on and I’m excited about the squad of players we have at the minute. With a bit of belief, I think we can do very well this season. We have had some good results over the first quarter and I still think there is more to come.
”I’m delighted with the players’ efforts and I think it’s testament to a lot of people that I’m being linked with jobs.”
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You sense an air of acceptance at the Perth club over the manager’s future, with defender Dave MacKay conceding he is likely to be away ”sooner rather than later.”
”If if happens, it happens,” said MacKay, who was outstanding for Saints on Saturday, getting a second goal to add to Fran Sandaza’s opener.
”We have heard so much speculation over the two years I have been here and he has been linked with so many clubs that it is going to happen sooner rather than later.
”He is a great young manager and teams are obviously very interested in him. If he goes then good luck to him because he has done a good job here. If we do get a change then he has left us in a good state for a new manager to take over.
”Hopefully he does stay but it is a big club and a big chance for him. Derek is a winner and wants everything done in the proper manner.
”He will treat you well if you are doing your job right and makes sure we all work hard.
”I have had plenty of managers God knows how many! but they usually leave because they are getting sacked so this is strange to have one who could be moving on to better things.
”He is probably the best boss I have had certainly up there along with Jim Duffy when I was at Dundee. I have worked with some decent managers but you can see he has what it takes.”
The aim for the new boss, should there be one soon, will be to keep the momentum going.
There is a long way to go in the SPL season, but should Saints keep this form up then there is no reason why they can’t comfortably make the top six and even aim to be the best of the rest outwith the Old Firm.
The squad has strength in depth and the players certainly deserve to be watched by bigger crowds than the 2909 that made it along on Saturday.
”It has been a great run since the start of the season,” added MacKay, who was rightly named man-of-the-match for contributing so much more than his 65th-minute strike.
”We have had five wins, three draws and have lost only three games. We have 18 points out of the first 11 games, so that is good going.”
When it was pointed out that Saints sit only a point behind Celtic, he replied: ”I don’t think it will be that at the end of the season! Seriously, though, it’s great to be up there after so many games.
”Also, I think there is a little gap opening up between ourselves and Hearts, and the teams below us.”
Boss McInnes was delighted with the display given the circumstances surrounding his possible departure.
”It was important the players had that focus to get the job done,” said McInnes, who lost Cillian Sheridan to a muscle strain shortly after he had set up Sandaza’s 13th-minute opener.
”Without being at our best, I thought we controlled the game and restricted Inverness.”
Inverness manager Terry Butcher was disappointed the same side that beat St Mirren in their previous game struggled against the other Saints.
Butcher said: ”I have no complaints about the result (but) massive complaints about the performance. We never really got going. We had a lot of possession but we didn’t create anything.”