Return of the Mac! Mick to seal Ireland job
MICK McCarthy is set to return as Republic of Ireland manager after agreeing a deal in principle with the FAI.
The 59-year-old will succeed Martin O’Neill in the role, after O’Neill, and his assistant manager Roy Keane, ‘mutually agreed’ with the FAI on Monday to part company after five years in charge of the squad.
It is understood that McCarthy has met with FAI chief executive John Delaney and agreed in principle a deal to return.
No official statement was released by the FAI last night but the announcement is expected to be formally made over the weekend.
The official contract has yet to be signed but it is expected to be for two years, in order to cover the Euro 2020 Championship, with an option to extend to the 2022 World Cup.
It is believed that the salary will be
Contract expected to be for two years
between €1million and €1.2million a year, down from the €2million that O’Neill was reported to have received.
McCarthy will be the first Irish manager to have two spells in charge of the national squad.
He is expected to confirm that Terry Connor will be his assistant with former Irish striker Robbie Keane also joining his backroom team.
One of his first official tasks will be to attend the UEFA Euro 2020 draw, due to take place in the Convention Centre, Dublin on December 2.
After a poor Nations League campaign, Ireland are seeded third and only the first two teams in each group are guaranteed to qualify for the finals. It is understood that he was the FAI’s first choice for the job and the organisation felt they needed to act quickly having been influenced by his availability, his willingness to return to the job and his track record in management.
The FAI believes he can revive the ailing fortunes of the team, which has had a poor run of form in the last year.
McCarthy first took over the role of Ireland manager in 1996, succeeding Jack Charlton. During his tenure he took Ireland from 54th in the FIFA World Rankings up to 13th, but it was the infamous Saipan incident during the 2002 World Cup which ultimately defined his managerial career up to that point.
McCarthy quit the job a few months after the World Cup after taking Ireland to the last 16, eventually losing to Spain on penalties.
He would go on to manage teams English sides Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town, from which he quit earlier this year. McCarthy beat out competition from the other contender in the race, the double-winning Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny.