Nigel Worthington's NI deal expires at the end of this year

Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington is expected to hold talks over his future in the job with Irish FA officials on Wednesday.

Worthington, who is being linked with the managerial vacancy at Sheffield Wednesday, will be in Belfast to make the draw for JJB Sports Irish Cup.

The Irish FA said on Tuesday evening that it had not been approached by any club about Worthington's services.

Worthington has said that he would be prepared to talk to the Owls.

The Northern Ireland manager's current contract runs out on 31 December.

"Preliminary talks between the association and Nigel Worthington regarding a new contract took place last week and these talks are still ongoing," said Tuesday evening's IFA statement.

Wednesday are looking for a new manager following the departure of Brian Laws and Worthington has a soft spot for the club, having spent over a decade at Hillsborough as a player.

Earlier this week, Worthington made clear his unhappiness at Friday's revelation that he had held talks with the Irish FA on Thursday.

"There had been a meeting which I thought was private but that information came out that we had had the meeting," he added.

"That was something which didn't particularly please me with someone somewhere giving the information out."

Worthington and Irish FA president Raymond Kennedy and chief executive Patrick Nelson all attended Sunday's BBC Sports Personality of the Year in Sheffield but the Northern Ireland boss said that the management issue "wasn't discussed".

Laws left the struggling Championship club by mutual consent on Sunday.

The Owls lost 3-0 at Leicester on Saturday to slip into the bottom three and have not won since 17 October.

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