Delaney prepared to wait for ‘right man'

FAI chief executive John Delaney confirmed the association will hold a board meeting within a matter of days, but that patience may be required to ensure the ‘right man’ is chosen to succeed Giovanni Trapattoni.

Delaney returned from a UEFA conference in Croatia yesterday and admitted a new manager mightn’t be in place before next month’s World Cup qualifiers with Germany and Kazakhstan.

“Over the next few days we will certainly work out a process as regards the new manager. It is more important that we take time to make the right appointment. We have time on our hands. Next September is our next qualifying game of importance.

“In October we play Germany and Kazakhstan, but they are not of importance in terms of qualifying. That is not going to happen, we all accept that. What we will do over the next number of days is establish a board meeting. Then we will put a job description and process together. A lot of candidates have already applied and we have to work out a process. Getting the right man in is the priority, not the timescale.

“You’d like a manager to be in place before the upcoming games, but it is not a must do. We would like it to be, but it is not a must do. If we have to wait past them games to get the right man in, we will wait past them games.”

With Darron Gibson revealing his intention to return to the international fold Delaney is adamant the next Ireland manager will have a promising squad of players.

“We’ve got some very good young footballers coming through. Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy, Shane Long, Marc Wilson, Robbie Brady. It is good news that Darron Gibson is coming back and made himself available again; he is a quality player,” was Delaney’s assessment.

“Denis O’Brien is back on board from a financial perspective and that gives us the stability to pay a decent salary in the market if we so wish to do. All those things have helped significantly and will assist the new manager when he comes in; having quality players and having an increased chance of qualifying for a major tournament and Denis’ support attracting interest in the job.

“I hope other players who in the past didn’t make themselves available for various reasons do so. It will be a new era for Irish football when the new manager is appointed.

“There are good young players coming through and the new manager when he looks at it, will see that.”