Identity of new Ireland manager to be revealed next week

WHITE SMOKE?:  FAI CEO Johnathan Hill with FAI Director of Football Marc Canham. Pic Credit: Ben Brady, Inpho.

The FAI’s search for a new permanent men’s team manager is to reach a conclusion next week, around 145 days after the vacancy became available.

John O’Shea was installed as interim boss for last month’s double-header friendly, the draw against Belgium and 1-0 defeat to Switzerland, as the headhunting team were unable to land their target in time.

Marc Canham, the association’s director of football, explained that “existing contractual obligations” had delayed both the announcement and start date, adding this would be forthcoming in early April.

It’s understood that promise will be honoured by the middle of the month once a meeting of the 14-person FAI board assembles to ratify his recommendation.

Canham was assisted during the recruitment phase by chief executive Jonathan Hill and former Ireland goalkeeper Packie Bonner, nowadays a board member and chair of the international and high performance committee.

Lee Carsley was their first choice and the FAI remained confident of landing the ex-Ireland midfielder as discussions followed their initial meeting within days of Stephen Kenny’s axing.

Ultimately, he didn’t feel the terms nor timing were right to depart his reigning Euro U21 champions England.

Gus Poyet then reportedly rejected the offer of a deal lasting up to the Euro 2028 finals which Ireland are co-hosting.

He oversaw two victories for Greece over Ireland in last year’s Euro qualifiers but was unable to steer them to the finals this summer, losing the playoff final against surprise packets Georgia.

The candidature of their boss, Willy Sagnol, was also believed to have aroused the FAI.

Poyet is now out of contract and free to join the FAI without any compensation, should items be resolved.

It’s understood that, similar to Carsley, budgetary constraints around funding his backroom team caused the standoff.

Anthony Barry, who served for a year as one of Kenny’s assistants, was on the initial shortlist devised by the FAI but Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel dismissed the prospect of losing his sidekick shortly after the Ireland vacancy arose in late November.

In January, the club confirmed to the Irish Examiner that no approach had been made by the FAI for permission to open talks with Barry. They have been contacted for an update.

Barry is due to leave the Bundesliga club at the end of the season but has international commitments too in his capacity as a coach with Portugal.

Canham ruled out the newcomer double-jobbing and asserted the plan was for them to begin work with immediate effect.

Portugal play Ireland in their final friendly on June 11 before travelling to Germany for their Euro finals matches against Czech Republic, Turkey and Georgia.