Toshack approached to take over reins

WELSHMAN John Toshack has been offered the Republic of Ireland coaching job in succession to Mick McCarthy who resigned on Tuesday, according to reports in Spain.

The former Real Madrid coach has told close associates in Spain that he has been approached by the FAI with a view to taking over in January, but Toshack has asked for a week to consider the job offer However he is expected to give his decision tomorrow.

According to a source close to ToshacK who was at the helm of Wales for less than a month on a part-time basis the FAI were offering a contract until 2008, with Toshack only prepared to consider the job until the 2004 European Championship finals in Portugal as he was unwilling to commit himself to a long-term contract.

Toshack told his associates in Spain, where he still retains two houses and remains most of the year, that the FAI had offered "good money" but he had to weigh up all of his options with other job offers on the table, including the Saudi Arabian national coaching job and Greek side Olympiakos.

Toshack has had a checkered career as a coach making his name in several countries and often courted controversy with his well-voiced opinions, famously taking Welsh side Swansea from the old Fourth Division in England to the first in successive seasons, before taking them down again n the early 80s.

However, Toshack will always be held in high regard in some quarters of Spain when he was in charge of the Real Madrid side which won the league and broke Spanish scoring records during the 1989-90 season with 107 goals.

The often surly Welshman earned a justified reputation as a disciplinarian, his sides have consistently finished top of the fair-play league, but his approach would also see Toshack punishing his charges for disappointing performances with training in the early hours of the morning.

It was precisely this ability to stamp his authority on the dressing-room and sort out the prima-donnas which saw former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz persuade Besiktas to release Toshack who had just won the Turkish Cup in early 1999 to sort out his under-performing stars.

Meanwhile Joe Kinnear will not be applying for the Republic of Ireland manager's job but would not rule himself out of the running for the post.

Kinnear, currently in charge at Second Division Luton, turned down the Ireland job six years ago when he was in charge at Wimbledon but is one of the bookies' fancies to take the job this time round.

"I won't be applying for the job, if people want you they come and get you. I'm not getting sucked into anything. I probably didn't do myself any favours last time I was offered the job and turned it down whether they will ask me again, I don't know," he said.