‘I can walk away with my head held high’

MICK McCARTHY, who stepped down last night as Republic of Ireland manager, said he was not pushed out of the job.

"It was my decision and my decision only," he insisted. "I've not been axed or pushed. I said after the last game that if some of the stuff going on surrounding my presence was affecting the performances, I'd consider my position.

"I wasn't going to resign immediately after the game, that would have been a knee-jerk reaction, so I went away and thought about it but my opinion never changed. But I walk away happy, because I always gave my best, and if you can say that, then you can walk away with your head held high," McCarthy said.