Troussier out of Irish race

PHILIPPE TROUSSIER will drop out of contention to succeed Brian Kerr when he agrees to take charge of Morocco later this week.

Negotiations between the French coach and the Moroccan FA are at an advanced stage, with only the details of a four-year contract to be finalised before a formal announcement is made in the next few days.

Troussier, 50, was interviewed for the Irish job in January 2003 prior to Kerr’s appointment, but his reputation suffered last season during a turbulent six-month spell in charge of Olympique Marseille, who fired him after failing to qualify for the Champions’ League, when his style was described as “provocative and confrontational” by Bixente Lizarazu.

Last week Troussier’s expression of interest in the current Ireland vacancy was publicly rejected by Andy Townsend, Mark Lawrenson and Jack Charlton. The Moroccan job will be Troussier’s seventh appointment at international level.