SOCCER NEWS: BOHEMIANS MANAGER Pat Fenlon is believed to have been in London yesterday for talks with Dundee United chairman Peter Thompson about the possibility of the Dubliner succeeding Craig Levein who recently left the Scottish Premier League outfit to take over the Scotland national team.
Fenlon could not be contacted last night but the 40-year-old has apparently made it on to the club’s shortlist and after it emerged Thompson was travelling to England to meet a candidate it was widely believed in Scotland Fenlon was the man involved. The former Shelbourne boss has been linked with a move to England or Scotland before and has made it clear he would be willing to consider leaving Ireland for the right job.
The timing of the vacancy would probably suit Fenlon who has been coping with more cutbacks at Bohemians despite having overseen the club’s defence of their league title.
The one-time Chelsea apprentice has been in charge of successful teams in five of the last seven League of Ireland campaigns. Though he did well to keep Bohemians on course at the end of last season when it briefly appeared Shamrock Rovers had got the upper hand after a narrow defeat of their rivals, the last of his three titles at Shelbourne, won amidst mounting financial chaos, would probably be regarded as his great achievement to date.
The relative stability at Dundee United combined with the opportunity to test himself and his players against the likes of the Old Firm clubs would likely to be amongst the chief attractions of a switch to Tannadice. If he were successful, though, the job could be a stepping stone to other opportunities.
He was not, as of yesterday, the only candidate. The name of his opposite number at Shamrock Rovers, Michael O’Neill, who previously played for United, has been mentioned a good deal in connection with the position. Raith Rovers boss John McGlynn, who is rumoured to have been recommended to the board by the departing Levein, remains a contender. But a number of other possible successors have fallen by the wayside, with the prospects of former Celtic and Scotland star John Collins landing the post receding, for instance, after he met Thompson a few days ago.
Caretaker boss Peter Houston’s hopes of promotion took as much of a hammering as his side did at Ibrox over the Christmas when they went down 7-1. Houston said afterwards he would not be seeking to be appointed on a long-term basis. However, as he and first-team coach Gary Kirk recently signed long-term deals they are expected to stay on at United and Fenlon would apparently be expected to work with them in the event he lands the job.
Fenlon might not have much scope to significantly alter the squad immediately either but he will know at least a couple of players, with Jon Daly and Seán Dillon in the first-team panel.
The team lie fourth in the table, albeit 16 points behind Rangers and nine behind Celtic.
United, traditionally associated with the Catholic community in Dundee, have not had a great deal of success since their establishment in 1909, but they did win the Scottish League as well as a couple of League Cups and reached the Uefa Cup final under Jim McLean in the 1980s. In the mid ’90s they also won the Scottish Cup.
