Billy Stark is favourite to be appointed as the new full-time Scotland under-21 manager, with Maurice Malpas expected to reform his coaching partnership with Terry Butcher at Dunfermline.
The Scottish Football Association will conduct interviews with Stark, currently in charge of Queen's Park, Malpas and one other, unnamed candidate for the post tomorrow at Hampden Park. Malpas has been involved with the under-21 squad since Alex Smith was in charge.
He assisted Rainer Bonhof, replaced him and worked alongside Archie Knox, the former head of youth development, who has since taken up residence at Bolton Wanderers.
That the former Motherwell manager was not considered an automatic choice by the SFA has impacted on his prospects. Furthermore, The Herald understands Queen's Park have already been approached by their tenants on the sixth floor over potential compensation for the amateurs' full-time manager.
In a twist, Malpas and Butcher have emerged as the favourites to succeed Stephen Kenny at East End Park after yesterday's board meeting, chaired by John Yorkston. John Robertson, recently sacked by Derry City, and Jim McIntyre, who has taken temporary charge, are also in the whittled-down short-list.
Stark, the former St Johnstone manager, is understood to be a popular choice within the SFA's hierarchy and is viewed as the ideal figurehead to develop the next generation of Scottish talent. Stark took Queen's Park to promotion last season and has continued their remarkable progress this campaign by establishing the team in mid-table of the second division. Stark had a three-year spell at first-division St Johnstone, before which he worked as assistant to Tommy Burns at Celtic.
Burns has emerged as a contender for the Scotland job, setting up the prospect of a potential re-union with Stark. The Celtic first-team coach assisted Berti Vogts and then Walter Smith with the national team, but was snubbed by the SFA following the latter's departure in January. However, with the regime change at the SFA, Burns would be happy to be considered for the job.
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