The bookies’ favourites to take the helm

MICK McCARTHY 5/6

McCarthy led the RoI from February 1996 to November

2002. The highlight of his six-year reign was qualification for the 2002 World Cup finals, which was overshadowed by the infamous training ground bust-up with Roy Keane.

McCarthy went on to guide both Sunderland and Wolves to promotion to the Premier League before a six-year spell at Ipswich.

STEPHEN KENNY 4/1

The last manager to go from the League of Ireland into international football was Michael O’Neill. Could the Republic follow Northern Ireland’s lead by appointing Dundalk boss Stephen Kenny? Kenny led Dundalk to the league crown four times in the past five years, only losing out to Cork in 2017. He has won a plethora of trophies at six clubs, including Derry City.

SAM ALLARDYCE 10/1

The former England boss is currently out of work, having left Everton at the end of last season. He guided the Merseyside club to eighth position but fans were unhappy with his style of play. Allardyce managed England for just two months and one match in 2016. Allardyce is no stranger to football here, having been player/ manager at Limerick.

STEVE BRUCE 10/1

Another experienced boss currently on the look-out for a job is the former Aston Villa chief. He left the Championship club last month following a poor run of form saw the club win one game in 10.

HARRY REDKNAPP 10/1

The former Tottenham boss is in the jungle taking part in ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here’. Could he get out of the ITV show and into Dublin? He left his last job, at Birmingham, a year ago.

ROY KEANE 16/1

Martin O’Neill’s assistant manager hasn’t taken charge of a side since a spell at Ipswich from 2009 to 2011. But he is not out of the picture yet.