Speculation regarding Mick McCarthy and the vacant Ireland manager’s job continues apace in the Irish press this morning.

The Irish Independent claims the FAI have set an annual budget of €1.2 million (just over £1 million) to fund the wages of Giovanni Trapattoni’s successor, with billionaire businessman Denis O’Brien again understood to be helping to finance the appointment.

However, it’s said that any compensation which would be payable to Town for McCarthy, or to another club should their boss be the man they want, would come from that figure.

How much Town would want for McCarthy, who is contracted until June 2015, is unknown but it’s claimed it would be somewhere between €500,000 and €1 million.

An Ireland player is also said to have been told that McCarthy is the frontrunner by an FAI official last week: "The impression from the conversation was clear — that Mick will get the job."

Meanwhile, the FAI’s headhunters, Ray Houghton and Ruud Dokter, are reportedly going through a short-list of candidates, which is believed to include the likes of Hector Cuper, Walter Zenga, Alex McLeish, Dick Advocaat and Carlos Quieroz, while it’s claimed two Premier League bosses have been contacted but are no longer being considered for the job.

Elsewhere, it’s reported that initial favourite Martin O’Neill will pull out of the race this week, having opted against taking the role which seemed his a month ago and that the FAI will make an approach to Town regarding McCarthy this week offering €500,000 in compensation.

Photo: Action Images

northdevonblue added 10:19 - Oct 21 Sounds bad for us, please dont go Mick
0

Michael11 added 10:21 - Oct 21 To be fair, if they offered us £1m compensation then it'd be the £1m bonus back that Mick got for keeping us up. I don't want Mick to go but if his heart's not with us anymore then we shouldn't hold him back.
0

JimmyJazz added 10:33 - Oct 21 so Michael11, i agree with you, but at the end of the day that's no compensation at all.
0

PimsOclock added 10:44 - Oct 21 Terry Butcher's Barmy Army..ITFC Hope Mick stays but just in case I'm getting the chant going early!
0

Keaneish added 10:48 - Oct 21 Can they not give it to Andy Townsend!? Heard just about enough obvious statements from him on ITV's International coverage!
0

georgelamming added 11:03 - Oct 21 Terry butcher would be a dream manager. I would even quite like terry o'connor to stay on, cant imagine he would be keen to join the irleland set up!? Lost my faith with mick now, he obviously would prefer to be with Ireland. He has made that very obvious. And a manager that doesnt want to be here as his first choice, I dont want to be here either. I was a massive fan when his cut throat, to the point attidutde was bringing as away from the relegation zone, and will always respect him for that. However, his style of football, in my opinion is never going to help us progress into a top championship team. We need someone who will expereiment with formations, not be so rigid, and have a winning mentality, not a menatality of 'not loosing'. Our back line is sorted, and very strong. New manger who likes a bit of creativity and proper football then we'd be onto a winner. Would much prefer to be midtable playing good football (or trying too), than midtable playing hoofball.

0

brendenward35 added 11:18 - Oct 21 So what's wrong with TC becoming manager? Players love him and might be something that might interest him. I think it would be worth a try see if it works out he knows the players and they all seem to respect him.
0

Berts_chin added 11:21 - Oct 21 Top of my wish list is for Mick to stay. Failing that I don't want to see Terry Butcher here ( I don't think he'd leave Scotland anyway) or any ex Town players. History shows that ME goes for a) someone not in a job, and b) a manager that has taken a team up into the Premier League. If he follows that trend again, the outstanding candidate for me would be Tony Pulis.

0

bluey123 added 11:21 - Oct 21 I wish MM would come out and say he is interested or he isn't fed up with speculation !!
0

ipswich74 added 11:27 - Oct 21 Im afraid to say its bye bye mick.stop draging it out mick.here in ireland they are saying com is 500000.these needs to b sorted asap so we can move on.mick just say yes or no to job and end these crap right now.
0

Keaneish added 11:28 - Oct 21 georgelamming - that MM style has got him promoted out of the Championship TWICE so i'd probably argue that his style can transform us into a top Championship side. You want TC to stay on but you're moaning about the brand of football we're currently playing!? As for hoofball!? What are you referring to? The only player who used to hoof ball it was N'Daw and he's long gone so that label is harsh if not a fallacy. Would you rather be bottom 3 trying to play open attacking football or mid-table playing tight, controlled football? No brainer for me...

0

sweas77 added 11:37 - Oct 21 Rumour is Nigel Clough is being lined up as a replacement for McCarthy, would not be a bad shout, he is available and his teams play good football and he gives youngsters a chance
0

Urchin added 11:45 - Oct 21 I like Mick, but have lost a little faith in him due to his refusal to say one openly if he would be interested. HIs reluctance to do so was just playing with words whilst keeping all options open. I think i would have more respect if he had simply said "yes if offered I would consider it but that doenst mean necessarily mean I would take it". We can't forget he got us out of a mess last year but uncertainlty is disrupting. The sooner this is put to bed one way or the other the better

0

Kesgraveblue57 added 12:00 - Oct 21 Mick McCarthy is it that hard for you to at least say your interested in the Irish post? because clearly you are! if your going, then go with the blessings and thanks of most of the fans.
0

ottovonbismark added 12:01 - Oct 21 http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/mick-mccarthy-im-waiting-to-be-asked-if-i
0

ChrisMakin2012 added 12:03 - Oct 21 Going going gone.
0

Stato added 12:06 - Oct 21 Keane, Jewell and McCarthy have all taken sides to the Premiership and all struggled once there. I hope that next appointment will move away from this formula and we can go for a young manager who's star is in the ascendency.
0

Walk_the_Wark added 12:08 - Oct 21 Nigel Clough would be a good shout. Doesn't play hoofball and has tactical nous :-)
0

LeighOnSeaBlue added 12:13 - Oct 21 I just think all the speculation will have got to the players now and Mick needs to say he wants it or doesn't want it. Personally I think he wants it and will quit but all the speculation is no good for anyone
0

Help added 12:24 - Oct 21 Ireland job - Its speculation because MM says " he would like to be asked" - 1. - means how can I comment on something, when the very people supposed to be wanting me have not spoken to me directly. 2 - means I am interested let me know the ins and outs and I will let you know how I feel about it. 3 - means coma and get me Lets look back at how ME has worked in the past. ME will not let MM go until he has someone in place ready, so look at managers available, draw up short list. Speak to managers informally. Speak to MM abour Ireland job. MM says I want to a) finish my job here b) go to Ireland ME sorts out compo from Ireland, gets new manager ready, lets MM go, new manager joins, change of personnel at all levels, ITFC in state of flux, new manager shifts players in Jan for nothing as contracts paid up and players released. new players come in. Town play attractive footbal, fans happy, win some lose some draw some until May.

0

Mark added 12:26 - Oct 21 It sounds like it may be sorted fairly quickly at least, which is better than it dragging on months. Perhaps McCarthy will take the Ireland job and O'Neill will become the new ITFC manager?! I do feel sorry for O'Connor, such a highly rated coach but a new manager ususally wants to bring his own people in.
0

Mark added 12:30 - Oct 21 Connor, not O'Connor. It's all this talk of Ireland! :-)
0

minesapint added 12:31 - Oct 21 George Burley is older and wiser now and at least we'd have a team that can string a few passes together. I don't think he'd make the same mistakes in the transfer market.
0

awayfan added 12:41 - Oct 21 Couple of mentions above of Nigel Clough as a potential replacement if MM was to leave. But Clough seems likely to get the Sheff Utd job, unless issues re. the settlement of his Derby contract get in the way.
0

Lightningboy added 12:43 - Oct 21 Hmmm.. Mick's done a tremendous job & built a really good base here but you do wonder whether he'd keep us in the prem "if" we got there?..it's obvious he wants the Irish job & who can blame him if that's where his heart lies. As for a replacement,Pulis would do a good job in the vein of what Mick's done but do we really want that brand of football at our beloved club? It's funny that during Nigel Clough's last game on Sky I was thinking how much his style reminded me of Burley's & how he'd make a good Town boss..let's hope he's still available until this speculation is sorted. Obviously in an ideal world most of us would love to have Burley,Butcher,Magilton,Holland at the reins but that prob won't happen...

0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls