SHAMROCK ROVERS duo Michael O’Neill and Jim Magilton, the management team behind Shamrock Rovers’ progress in the Europa League, are among the candidates to become Northern Ireland’s next manager after Nigel Worthington announced he would quit following tonight’s final Euro 2012 qualifier against Italy.

Worthington’s four-and-a-half-year reign will end after the qualifier in Pescara, with Northern Ireland having slipped to second from bottom of Group C and all hopes of qualification for Ukraine and Poland extinguished by Estonia in Belfast on Friday.

Windsor Park turned on the former Norwich City manager after the 2-1 defeat, although his position had looked precarious since the 4-1 reverse in Estonia last month.

The IFA will formally begin considering Worthington’s replacement at a board meeting this month.