Nigel Worthington was appointed to the Northern Ireland job in June 2007

Nigel Worthington's future as Northern Ireland manager appears to be in some doubt after contract negotiations stalled, BBC Sport understands.

Worthington's current deal runs out at the end of this year.

An Irish FA source told the BBC that contract talks with Worthington had reached an "impasse".

However, IFA president Raymond Kennedy said he remained "confident" that the former Northern Ireland defender would stay on in the job.

"I am as confident this morning as I was yesterday morning that we will be able to reach an agreement," Kennedy told BBC Sport.

"These things take time and Nigel Worthington is still the only candidate that we wish to employ as international team manager at this time.

"It is definitely not the case that we are stalling on a deal with Nigel."

Worthington was appointed to the job in 2007 and the apparent doubts over his future come as a surprise despite his team missing out on the World Cup finals.

The former Norwich manager indicated in October that he expected to remain on in the role.

Irish FA president Kennedy has said on a number of occasions that he wants Worthington to agree a new deal.

Worthington is believed to have held talks with IFA officials in Belfast on Thursday.

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