Former Italy keeper Zenga believes he’s right man for Ireland

Former Italian goalkeeper Walter Zenga has put himself forward as a surprise candidate for the job of Irish manager.

While the 53-year-old acknowledges he would be considered an outsider, he believes he has the skills and approach that Ireland require.

Zenga famously played against Ireland in the 1990 World Cup quarter-final, but feels his modern outlook on international management would fully suit the FAI.

The Italian has had a mixed and well-travelled managerial career, winning a double with Red Star Belgrade and earning plaudits for his work at Catania, but also getting sacked by Steaua Bucharest.

He has coached New England Revolution, Turkey’s Gaziantepspor and just finished a two-year spell in the UAE with Al Nasr.

“I’m available if they want to talk to me,” Zenga said. “I understand there are others with advantages of the name, of history, of other things.

“If the federation know [with the next coach], they can build something for the future, great. But if they think they only want somebody with the name, it’s better they take their time and continue to decide in the right way.

“The most important thing, in my opinion, is they choose someone who wants to build and create something, that is not there for himself.

“Being a coach of the national team means you have to have a 360-degree view, thinking about not only the next game or first XI but also what’s coming in 2016, then 2018.

“The coach must think about other national teams, how the coaching is organised. You have to view all the habits, the history, the culture. It’s more than putting 11 players on the pitch and playing 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 or whatever.

“It’s not only about formation. It means the discipline, the intensity, the concentration, the passion for your country, passion for your teammates. All these things: to build one good group, one good team.”

Zenga dismissed the debate about the quality of the Irish team, and feels the side could benefit from a more creative approach.

“Most of them they play where? England. Where is the best championship in the world? Spain, Italy, England, so it’s very difficult to understand there is no quality.

“If you don’t have quality, you can still become strong. At Catania, we didn’t have a great team, but we created a lot of problems for everybody.

“Now, the mentality of the football is changed. It’s not that I don’t want to concede. Now the mentality is that I want to create more than opponent.

“You try to create a team that knows how to attack and knows how to defend, this is the most simple thing in the world. If you defend all the time, it’s difficult to win, of course.”