The Dundee United gaffer has been installed as bookies’ favourite to succeed George Burley, whose hapless 22-month reign was brought to an end when he was sacked at Hampden last night.

And it’s understood Levein’s name, along with that of Rangers boss Walter Smith, is top of the SFA’s own list of possible successors.

The Tangerines, though, will fight tooth-and-nail to keep the man they consider as the best manager in the country, but won’t be surprised if they get an approach from the SFA.

While, however, they are resigned to losing the 45-year-old one day, they believe this is one battle they will win.

For a start, the manager’s long-term contract means United could be due £500,000 by way of compensation — a figure that frightened off at least one other top-flight club last summer.

And, while in relative terms the SFA got Burley on the cheap — he was on a reported £300,000 a year — any move for Levein would require a major salary hike.

Countries of a comparable stature to the Scots are paying managers between £750,000 and a million per year, and the likes of the Irish Republic are handing Italian legend Giovanni Trapattoni £1.5 million.

Levein would also want his long-time No. 2, Peter Houston, beside him and that would push any wage bill for the new team towards seven figures.

Add to all that the pay-offs to Burley, his assistant Terry Butcher and luckless coach Paul Hegarty, whose involvement lasted little over a month and two games, and the ruling body would not have much change out of £2 million.

United’s confidence in being able to hang on to their man this time is largely based on the belief he has unfinished business at Tannadice, and that’s certainly his chairman’s view.

“I am not surprised Craig has been linked, again, because he is an excellent manager and nobody knows that better than we do,” said Tannadice chairman Stephen Thompson.

“However, while I want Scotland to do well, I have to look after my club, it’s fans and the shareholders first, and that means we would do all we could to keep Craig.

“And, from his point of view, I believe he enjoys the day-to-day involvement too much and bringing on players like Morgaro Gomis and Scott Robertson.

“It’s only my personal view, but I think the Scotland job is one for a man in his 50s, who’s done all that — Craig still has a lot he wants to do at club level.”

Having been linked with the job so many times in the past two or three years, despite a deluge of calls from the media, the man himself was making absolutely no comment today.

He took a reserve side to face Rangers this afternoon and was concentrating on that and Sunday’s game against Celtic.

Yesterday, United announced there will be half-price admission that night and it’s understood, initially, Rangers seemed to have no problem with that.

Last night, though, they issued a statement saying they were very disappointed by a move that will leave fans out of pocket.

Today, United pointed out while they have every sympathy with fans, the cost of putting on the game still has to be met — the police bill alone for an Old Firm clash is three times higher than normal fixtures.

Ironically, the teams were in action in a closed-door friendly in Glasgow this afternoon, though Jon Daly missed out because of flu.

Some 120 exciting minutes later, he had his hands on the “cup” — it was actually a crystal vase — courtesy of a 3-2 win over Ally McLeod’s Honest Men.

And the league had the firm evidence needed that the competition could become an annual event in the lower leagues.

“I think it was always in their minds for the competition to continue beyond that first year, but the final told them it definitely could,” said Gordon, now the youth supremo at Dens. I remember it fondly and, back then, it was like it is now — it starts off as a mediocre tournament no-one is really bothered about, but, once you get nearer the semis, people start playing their strongest team.

“The final was certainly a good occasion, because at that time Ayr United had a decent team and it was always likely to be a close game.”

So it proved and, in front of a crowd of 11,506, the lead changed hands twice before an extra-time strike from Billy Dodds completed his hat-trick and secured the trophy.

While that meant it was the BBC pundit whose name featured in all the headlines, Gordon recalled it was another capture from down south that caught his eye.

“As well as signing Billy from Chelsea, I got Colin West. In fact, when I was thinking about trying to sign them, I spoke to Harry Redknapp because he’d seen both of them a few times.

“Harry told me Billy was very good, but he thought Colin West was even better and I should definitely go for him.

“Unfortunately for Colin, he had a bad time with injuries up here, partly because, for a winger, he was exceptionally brave and would go in where it hurt, and we didn’t really get the best out of him.

“That day, though, he was at his best and, as I recall, he set up Billy’s goals and, for me, was probably Man of the Match, which you don’t often say when someone else gets a hat-trick.”

Like everyone at Dens, Gordon makes no apologies for stressing promotion is the be all and end all for this campaign.

Now Dundee are in the final, though, he sees nothing but pluses from going to Perth and winning.

“It’s a chance for the players to take part in a final and the fans to have a good day out, and winning would make it one for them to remember.”

Meanwhile, midfielder Brian Kerr is on course to recover from an ankle problem in time to make Sunday’s game. He was training with the physio again today, but should be back with the squad by Thursday.

Leigh Griffiths picked up a minor knock while playing for the Scotland Under-21s at the weekend, but that has not stopped him training normally.