FORMER Rangers and Scotland striker Kris Boyd thinks Michael O’Neill is unlikely to be tempted by the Scotland job due to the current lack of quality defenders in the squad.

The Northern Ireland manager has been installed as the favourite to succeed Gordon Strachan since his side fell to a 1-0 aggregate defeat in their World Cup play-off against Switzerland on Sunday.

O’Neill has also been touted as a contender for the vacancy at Rangers, with Manchester United and Northern Ireland great Sammy McIlroy backing him to be able to handle the task at Ibrox.

Read more: Could Michael O'Neill transform the fortunes of Rangers the same way he has resurrected Northern Ireland?

And speaking on BBC Scotland, Boyd said that he thinks Scotland's sparsity of options in defence could be a factor pushing the 48-year-old towards a club job.

“I think Michael O’Neill has done a fantastic job with Northern Ireland,” he said.

“But from a football point of view, Michael’s first thought is to defend and he has Premier League defenders in the Northern Ireland squad.

“We don’t have that. It’s a lot easier to build a base – when you look at Northern Ireland, they already had that base there.

“It’s pretty difficult coming into international football with Scotland and trying to build that from a defensive base when we don’t have defenders.

“He’s been unbelievable with Northern Ireland, from where they were to now if he does leave. But I think he probably will want a club job.”