World Cup: McCarthy in a strong position

Win, lose or draw today, Mick McCarthy is in a wonderful position to fulfil a personal dream - or even two.

Any of those three results, provided that defeat against Iran came by less than two clear goals, would be sufficient to take Ireland to the World Cup final’s next summer for the first time in seven years and into a major tournament for the first time under McCarthy.

Not surprisingly, that is the dream he prefers first and, if for no other reason, it would give him a firm platform on which to negotiate a new and much more lucrative contract as national boss.

His current agreement, said to be worth £160,000 a year, runs out in February.

But if Ireland commit their third consecutive play-off failure ahead of a major tournament McCarthy can be consoled that a clutch of big clubs in England are keeping a close eye on his situation.

He would be practically guaranteed a high-profile club appointment before the start of next season should he want it - at considerably more than his present pay packet.

The cash-strapped Football Association of Ireland need the riches on offer from participation in the World Cup finals to help them match what top clubs can offer to managers.

McCarthy, 43 in February, admits: ‘‘One day I would love to be manager of a Premiership club. I’ve missed out that stage in my career having come straight to Ireland from Millwall.

‘‘But I can’t even begin to think about my own individual future while we are concerned with the World Cup.’’

He is on record, however, as saying he likes the idea of staying with the Irish for the qualifying campaign up to the next European Championships in Portugal in 2004, no matter what happens here against Iran.

The FAI have offered to open talks with him on a new deal already but the invitation was politely turned down with McCarthy, nearly six years in charge now, saying: ‘‘I prefer to see what happens after the World Cup because then other people might think it is time for a change.’’

The FAI’s chain of command has changed recently from the last few years when ex-president Pat Quigley and former chief executive Bernard O’Byrne stood loyally by McCarthy despite many fans believing he should have gone with the earlier play-off failures in Belgium (1997) and Turkey (1999).

But Milo Borcoram, the new FAI president installed earlier this year, said: ‘‘Genuine Irish fans recognise the immensity of the job Mick has done and so do the association.

‘‘We all needed to be patient after Jack Charlton’s wonderful era came to a close with so many top internationals also retiring but Mick set about the task with customary determination, and that patience, happily, did not need to stretch too far.’’

Meanwhile, Iran defender Rahman Rezaei has stirred up a storm ahead of today’s World Cup play-off decider by practically accusing Sunderland midfielder Jason McAteer of diving for the penalty which sparked the Republic’s 2-0 first leg win in Dublin.

He said: ‘‘The referee gave a penalty but I just put my leg forward and the player (McAteer) was very professional. He threw himself on my leg and got a penalty.’’