McAteer warns of difficult ‘transition’

THE FAI could be left in a “difficult situation” in terms of the future of the senior international team manager if Mick McCarthy is a success in the Euro 2020 qualifiers, Jason McAteer has warned.

The former Ireland international was in Dublin yesterday to help announce details of the fundraising game at the Aviva Stadium on April 12 between a Liverpool Legends side and an Ireland XI.

His former boss McCarthy will be in charge of the Ireland selection for the charity game for Sean Cox, the Liverpool fan who suffered horrific injuries in an attack last year. Family and friends are hoping to raise €2million to assist with Cox’s rehab. McAteer plans to take part alongside Robbie Keane and John Aldridge.

“You read the stuff in the newspapers but you don’t really know the true impact until you speak to them personally and see how it’s changed their lives,” McAteer said of the drive to support the Cox family.

McAteer remains in touch with McCarthy and predicts that the new Ireland boss can not only restore confidence but also get Declan Rice back on board, although he fears that success under McCarthy in the Euro 2020 qualifiers could make the handover to Stephen Kenny more difficult.

“I was quite surprised that announcement was made, that Mick was to take over for a certain period and Stephen was to come in,” said McAteer. “I felt the decision was going to put pressure on the FAI in the sense that, if Stephen doesn’t do so well and Mick does brilliantly, how is the transition going to go?”