Ireland plays waiting game

Stephen Ireland wants to wait until a permanent manager of Ireland is appointed before making a decision about a return to international duty.

“I’ll wait until there’s an official new manager announced,” the Cobh man said. “I would consider going back. Of course, you’ve got to think of both parties. The FAI might be thinking the opposite to me, I don’t know.

“I know I have to get my performances to the level that deserves a call-up. If I come back I know it will have to be for a couple of campaigns at least.”

Caretaker boss Noel King saw the midfielder in action for Stoke City for the second time in a week yesterday, ahead of the announcement today of the squad for the upcoming games against Germany and Kazakhstan which will complete Ireland’s World Cup qualifying campaign.

It’s expected that previously out of favour Darren Gibson of Everton and Celtic’s Anthony Stokes will be named in today’s panel. One fresh injury doubt for King is Jon Walters, who has a groin problem.

Meanwhile, FAI chief executive John Delaney said he’d met with King and managerial head-hunters Ray Houghton and Ruud Dokter. “I met Ruud and Ray, gave them the list of people who had been in contact and what we required and they are now about to go about their work,” he said.

“I think it is safe to say that Ruud and Ray will go about the job of meeting the various candidates that put themselves forward, and any other person who they might like to meet as well.”

Responding to John Giles’ suggestion that the FAI had delayed appointing a manger because they were uncertain about Martin O’Neill’s level of interest, Delaney said: “I did not hear that comment about someone else dictating when we will replace Giovanni. Obviously what we have done — as we said when we agreed that Giovanni was leaving the management team — was that we took some time out because we were tied up with various events, we had meetings with UEFA and other matters. Then the board met and decided to appoint Ray and Ruud to do an extensive search and see who is available to manage the Irish team because we have had a lot of interest in it.”

Delaney said that, while the two head-hunters have been given guidelines in terms of what will be required of a new manager, it will be up to them to decide what name, or names, they choose to put to the board.

“They will have a free hand but obviously we have given them the names we got by application or through agents,” he said. “We have given them specifications that we are looking for and that would include working with the grassroots and working closely with Rudd Dokter in terms of the development of Irish soccer. Working closer with the underage teams is important to us. While managing the Irish team and getting results is the most important thing, there are other aspects the new man must get involved in. I told them they can come back with one man or a short list ”

The FAI chief also added that he did not rule out the return of Roy Keane, even though comments made by the Corkman during the week saw him appear to distance himself from the vacant post .

“What people forget is that Roy played after Saipan,” said Delaney. “I would have no problem working with anyone put forward by Ray or Rudd.”