The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
McCarthy is favourite to take over from O’Neill
IRELAND: Roy Keane and backroom staff also depart after a miserable 2018
Mick McCarthy is the front runner in the race to replace Martin O’Neill as Republic of Ireland manager after his five-year reign came to an abrupt close.
O’Neill, assistant Roy Keane and their staff parted company with the Republic of Ireland yesterday after chief executive John Delaney held talks with the 66-year-old in London on Tuesday evening.
The split had looked increasingly inevitable after a poor Nations League campaign which drew to a close with Monday night’s 0-0 draw with Denmark in Aarhus, during which Ireland failed to muster a single shot on target.
O’Neill’s departure from a contract due to expire after his side’s involvement in Euro 2020 was confirmed in a statement from the Football Association of Ireland.
Delaney was thrilled to unveil his “dream team” management duo in November 2013 and his faith in the pair was initially rewarded when they guided the Republic to the Euro 2016 finals and then to the play-offs for this summer’s World Cup.
Delaney said: “I would like to thank Martin, Roy and the management team for the impact they had with the Ireland team.
“There have been many highlights during Martin’s reign – none more so than Euro 2016 in France, which will live long in the memory of all Irish supporters.
“Martin did a great job guiding the team out of a difficult qualifying group – where we beat World Champions Germany along the way – to reach Euro 2016 and advance to the last 16 following a historic victory over Italy in Lille.
“I wish Martin and the management team the very best for the future.”
Poor results – Ireland have won just one of their last 11 games and have not scored in 397 minutes of football – and uninspiring performances in the last year have seen O’Neill and Keane’s stock fall alarmingly.
The boos which greeted the final whistle in last Thursday’s 0-0 friendly draw with Northern Ireland at a sparsely-populated Aviva Stadium are understood to have brought matters to a head.
The FAI is keen to make a swift appointment, with the draw for the Euro 2020 finals due to take place in Dublin on December 2 and as one of the hosts, they do not want to be seen as presiding over a team in flux as Europe’s great and good arrive in the city.
To that end, McCarthy, who took the Republic to the 2002 World Cup finals in the Far East during a previous spell in charge, represents an attractive proposition.
He has a proven track record, already has a relationship with the FAI hierarchy and perhaps more importantly to a governing body still paying for the redevelopment of the Aviva Stadium, is available without the need to pay compensation after leaving Ipswich in April. It is understood McCarthy is interested in the vacancy.