Ray McKinnon, the Raith Rovers manager, has promised the Fife club that, if he leads them into the Ladbrokes Premiership, he will not swap them for Dundee United.
The 45-year-old former United player is favourite to take charge of his home-town club, who responded to relegation from the top flight by sacking Mixu Paatelainen on Wednesday.
“If I take Raith up, I will be their manager next season. I’ll be honest with you. I’m quite happy where I am right now
While McKinnon admits that the vacancy at Tannadice is an attractive prospect, he is also keen to stress that he will be going nowhere if Rovers win promotion from the Championship.
Raith are a goal up after the first leg of their Premiership Play-off quarter-final against Hibernian, the second leg of which is at Easter Road tomorrow. “If I take Raith up, I will be their manager next season,” McKinnon said. “It is as simple as that.”
McKinnon, who has been named Championship manager of the month for April, was also linked with the United job before Jackie NcNamara was appointed in 2013. He says that the speculation then was more distracting than it is now.
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“It hasn’t affected me,” McKinnon said. “Three years ago, you’re looking at a club in the top flight and you’re thinking, ‘yes’ … any time you’re linked with a job, it’s exciting isn’t it? Especially when it’s your hometown club, you have played for them, your kids support them. I get that. But it hasn’t affected me one bit. I’ll be honest with you. I’m quite happy where I am right now.”
If Raith come up short in the playoffs, McKinnon will have a decision to make. Asked if the United job was any less attractive now that they are set to become a Championship club, he replied: “No certainly not. They’re a top-six club in Scotland, like Hibs. They’re big, big clubs. Whether they’re in this division or the division up, they’re big, big clubs with huge potential.They’re attractive jobs for everybody.”