PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE
Canham lays out plan for Irish football’s future & insists he’s relaxed on boss hunt
MARC CANHAM has defended the FAI’S protracted search for an Ireland manager and insists an appointment will be made soon.
Initial top target Lee Carsley appears to be staying with England’s under-21s while others touted, like Neil Lennon and Chris Coleman, have been ruled out.
The process to unearth Stephen Kenny’s successor has dragged into a third month and some Ireland fans on social media have slammed the hunt as a ‘farce’ and ‘joke’.
False dawns have become a recurring theme but the prospect of a caretaker boss for next month’s friendlies against Belgium and Switzerland is unlikely.
Last night, FAI sources were refusing to rule out an appointment next week.
Director of Football Canham is leading the search party, along with FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill and independent board member and ex-goalie Packie Bonner.
Canham launched the association’s Football Pathways Plan at Aviva Stadium yesterday and was pushed for an update with the March friendlies looming large.
Asked if any candidate had refused the job, Canham said: “I’m not going to comment on sindividuals or circumstances.
“We continue to have positive conversations with candidates about the role and we hope to conclude it as soon as possible.”
And sticking to the message delivered at the Nations League draw in Paris, Canham also maintained that finances were not a stumbling block.
“The budget is not a problem,” he said of the wedge being offered by the FAI, who are €40m in debt. We talked openly with all the candidates. I think we are making good progress.
“We hope to conclude the process as soon as possible.”
A key part of the FAI’S Pathways Plan launch is that Ireland teams will all be singing off the same hymn sheet regarding their style of play.
It’s not a new concept of course, with Canham’s predecessors attempting to implement a similar ideology.
But Canham stressed the profile of the manager has not altered from the blueprint the
FAI presented in late November.
“We want them to coach the team, to be on the grass coaching the team, to get the best out of them,” he said yesterday.
“We want them to get better performances, to get improved results, we want to be more competitive in all our games.
“We want to have a really positive UEFA Nations League and we want to give ourselves the best chance to qualify for World Cup ‘26, which we know will be really challenging.
“We are absolutely determined to be in Euro ‘28, which we’re obviously going to have a number of games here in this stadium.
“(The new manager) is going to be a key part to helping us achieve that potential and be a big part of what we’re trying to achieve with the Football Pathways Plan.
“We’re getting closer and that’s all I’d say.”