Aberdeen FC next manager latest as Michael O'Neill put on spot over Pittodrie links and doesn't rule it out

Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill has spoken directly about links with the Aberdeen vacancy for the first time since Neil Warnock left the club.

The Pittodrie board have been conducting interviews since Warnock's shock departure after their Scottish Cup win over Kilmarnock last week. It came just 33 days after the veteran English boss arrived as an interim replacement for Barry Robson and Warnock hinted the board already had their next man lined up - which has since been proven not to be the case.

Instead Dave Cormack and co have been assessing the field and Record Sport learned on Thursday that Elfsborg boss Jimmy Thelin is among the targets. But talks are not yet at an advanced stage and other names are still being considered, with O'Neill, who recently penned a long-term deal with Northern Ireland, one of the more prominent names in the betting markets.

When asked about the job at a press conference ahead of the forthcoming international break, the 54-year-old - who had a very brief loan spell at Pittodrie from Coventry City in the late 1990s - revealed he has been at an Aberdeen game recently - but only to run the rule over two Irish St Mirren stars. He'll be back in Scotland later this month for a friendly with Steve Clarke's team at Hampden, but for now his current job is all he's focused on - even if he didn't rule it out.

He said: “I signed a five and a half year contract, so I’m fully focused on what I’m doing here with Northern Ireland. That’s a story that has been in the Scottish media. I’m not in control of anything like that. My focus is always here.

“I was at a game two weeks ago between Aberdeen and St Mirren watching Caolan Boyd-Munce and Conor McMenamin, who both played very well. I’m not in control