New Ireland boss likely to be recruited on four-year deal

ON THE HUNT: FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill during a press conference following the annual general meeting of the Football Association of Ireland. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Ireland’s new men’s team manager is likely to be recruited on a four-year contract until Euro 2028, the FAI have confirmed.

Jonathan Hill’s position as chief executive remains in jeopardy due to his involvement in receiving payments against company policy and which breached state conditions but he’s been immersed in talks with prospective new clients.

Director of Football Marc Canham is the prime headhunter.

He’s been scouring the market to source a successor to women’s team boss Vera Pauw, due to be unveiled next week, but the most attention is on who gets the nod to salvage the remnants of Stephen Kenny’s reign.

The man with the worst record in 50 years operated on an initial two-year deal that was renewed for the Euro 2024 campaign that recently ended in a fourth-place finish and not even entry into a playoff route through the Nations League.

That left Ireland outside the 32 nations who either qualified for the summer finals in Germany or are still in contention for a berth through the playoffs.

Hill confirmed during Saturday’s AGM that they held conversations with ‘everyone we want to speak to’ but later wouldn’t confirm if they’d sought permission from clubs or associations to interview personnel already in jobs.

Two former Ireland internationals, Lee Carsley, currently manager of European U21 champions and Ghana boss Chris Hughton, are favourites to land the vacancy.

Hill was adamant they won’t accept any external contributions – unlike the €12m received over an eight-year period until 2016 from Denis O’Brien to fund over half the salaries – but insists the annual wedge on offer, believed to be similar to the €560,000 paid to Kenny, will entice a suitable manager.

All the indications are that the vacancy will be filled by someone with an ultimate target of leading the team out at the 2028 Euros tournament which Ireland are co-hosting with UK federations. 

Automatic tickets will be granted to two nations that fail to qualify through the football route.

“It’s a big job, a good job - we have a World Cup in 2026 to aim for,” said Hill about the qualifiers that kick off in March 2025 after the Nations League series between September and November.

“That will be tough but it’s one of our overall objectives. Everyone we’ve spoken to is excited about the Euro taking place in Ireland, potentially five games for the Ireland team in the Aviva Stadium, which is a huge opportunity.

“If the thrust of the question is will we take money that may come from outside the organisation to find a coach, the answer is no.

“We should be absolutely focused on using the money that we have at our disposal because that’s right. Obviously, budget will be one of the issues.

“It’s relevant to all the areas we have to look at in terms of 2024 and beyond. It’s definitely a factor. We’re pretty confident we’ll find the right person.

“I think so (about the four-year cycle). We’ll look at that when we get there in terms of how the contract is constructed.” 

The latest juncture on that timeline for the new supremo is February 8 – when the Nations League draw is made in Paris. Two friendlies have been arranged for March, at least one of which is at home.

Hill wouldn’t be drawn on the profile of the preferred candidate, only mirroring the concept of a head coach rather than a manager that was cited as justification for jettisoning World Cup qualifying chief Pauw.

“There’s no sense of doom and gloom - that’s for sure,” continued Hill, denying Ireland’s plummet to 60 in FIFA’s rankings has turned contenders off.

“There’s a good group of players with a mixture of youth and experience there.

“If the individual involved gets to work with them in a way that they work, and they have an approach and a philosophy in how they deal with players, all of them (candidates) have been extremely excited at the prospect, and rightly so.

“The March friendlies are really important preparatory games. The sooner we can get an appointment made the better, but we won't rush the process.

“We have made a really good start already, but we would like to get them in place so they can start getting their coaching team together and start thinking about their opponents in March and June.

“By February we will know who their opponents are for the Nations League. We know we’re in League B so could draw England or Wales, matches that would sell out.

“The Nations League is very important in relation to future qualification processes for future tournaments. From February, you definitely want someone working full time in relation to those opponents.”