Martin O’Neill might not be quite the “shoo-in” for the Republic of Ireland manager's job that Blues boss Mick McCarthy believes, according to reports in Ireland this morning.

The Irish Independent says the FAI have conducted background checks through intermediaries and question marks have been raised about O’Neill’s disappointing spell at Sunderland, the only period of his career where his former Nottingham Forest team-mate John Robertson wasn’t working with him as his assistant.

Robertson, 60, suffered a heart attack last month and although recovering is thought unlikely to join O’Neill should the Northern Irishman be appointed to the position vacated by Giovanni Trapattoni earlier in the month. Former Scotland international Robertson took charge of training at the clubs where the pair worked together, while O’Neill is viewed more as a motivator than a hands-on coach.

An FAI source is reported to have made no comment on O’Neill, but to have said that two of the alternative candidates — ex-Blues boss Roy Keane and current manager McCarthy — would not receive universal backing if O’Neill were to be overlooked: "Neither Mick nor Roy will carry unanimous board support, although that isn't crucial."

An immediate appointment seems unlikely — U21s boss Noel King has been tipped for a caretaker role — with suggestions that the FAI might convene a committee to choose the new manager as they have done in similar situations previously.

Speaking on Friday, McCarthy was still confident that O’Neill would be the man appointed. Asked when the matter would be put to bed he said: “It is in bed, as far as I’m concerned. Flog me if I’m wrong.

“It’s just making a nice, comfortable period of time so it all goes past and they’ve had their meetings and they’ve done it properly and it wasn’t absolutely shooed in.”

Photo: Action Images

bluemikey100 added 18:59 - Sep 23 oh well cud get terry butcher with some argentine flair in tarricco tery doin great job at inverness
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ArnieM added 19:37 - Sep 23 ...the words "Im not interested in the job" by MM are deafening arent they !!
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TimmyH added 19:42 - Sep 23 As I said the other day that the Metro news journalists believed that the FAI thought MM was the 'perfect' candidate, so we'll see shortly no doubt.
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tomg added 19:57 - Sep 23 There is a degree of irony in all this for Marcus Evans, based in Dublin surely he should have some influence on the decision!
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RegencyBlue added 20:44 - Sep 23 If MM does go it will be because Evans hasn't backed him financially. I'm pretty sure MM knows exactly what players we need but knowing that, and being allowed to purchase them, are two different things!
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Stato added 21:05 - Sep 23 If Mick goes the new manager won't be given much scope to bring in new players so will remain a bloody tough job
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prebbs007 added 21:25 - Sep 23 If MM takes the job TC will follow. If they stay then ME needs to back them with some cash to provide the ruthlessness Mick has called for. If they go would love to see Poyet and town legend Tarrico would be perfect replacements. Brighton are far worse team without them. Their style of football is with keeping of ITFC way of playing. Whatever happens we need to improve the squad. Two Man U strikers on loan in our division one scored 4 goals on Saturday for brum, a team we would have beaten by 5 or 6 if he had been playing for us. If we leave it another half a dozen games we will be too far behind to do anything about it. Come on Marcus, you will never get your investment back unless we get to the premier league. 70 odd mill will increase every year in championship. Wot difference does another 5 or 10 make to man who is 143rd on UK rich list. Promotion is worth a lot more than ITFC "owe" you, so sit still and watch debt grow or put in real transfer money to get it all back and a profit???

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hossblue added 21:30 - Sep 23 Just think back twelve months before Mick came to those who would like him to go.
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ChrisMakin2012 added 21:37 - Sep 23 Roy Keane wasn't so bad when you think about it now.
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kalypso added 21:47 - Sep 23 You're either in the shop window or you aren't. From the silence that is the usually verbose MM I'd say he is firmly in the window. With a "come and get me " grin.
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ericclacton added 22:01 - Sep 23 To me it's fairly obvious Mac is waiting for the chance to do the Irish gig, 2 weeks he will be gone.
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toforoge added 00:07 - Sep 24 Some strange betting going on in the markets, someone seems sure MO is not going to take or be given the job.
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toforoge added 00:20 - Sep 24 All the bookies have now closed the market for time being.
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churchmans81 added 06:54 - Sep 24 Ask yourself if you were in the same position and had the choice of the following, what would you do? a. Being an international manager of a perennially underachieving team, yet plotting how to qualify for major competitions on a global stage taking on the likes of Brazil, Spain, and Germany. Or, b. Managing a perennially underachieving Championship club plotting how to gain automatic promotion to the Premiership whilst in a division where anything can happen, and often does, week in week out? I'm not saying that he will go on the off chance he is offered the job, after all whilst he hasn't publicly ruled himself out, neither has he publicly stated his interest, however you can see the attraction. As with many things in life it's often best not to go back and he'll know this too of course but I imagine that if nothing else it's a good way of flushing out ME as to his future plans, commitment to funding etc, if that really is a problem behind the scenes as some suspect. Me, I hope he stays and builds this season with some consistency that means less of a nail biting roller-coaster and a real push for The Premiership in 2014-15.

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Fat_Boy_Tim added 12:32 - Sep 24 I'm not so sure the FAI can afford the payoff to Town now that the release clause in MM contract has expired. He can't resign and then take up the Ireland job because the FAI would still have a case to answer.
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Fat_Boy_Tim added 12:54 - Sep 24 Hey but not to worry, if he does go then Di Canio is looking for a job!
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Walk_the_Wark added 17:48 - Sep 24 Mick out Poyet in. Ta
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