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

blues1 added 17:19 - Oct 21 paulc yes. I would expect him to rule himself out without an offer being made. that's exactly what brian McDermott and chris hughton did as soon as they were linked to the job. if he isn't interested he could, and should have done the same. I don't want him to go as hes done an excellent job but if hes going to go id like it sorted a.s.a.p. so we can get our new manager in. ormey. clough did a good job at derby. he took over the club on a long term project. was told he had no money to spend and had to bring youngsters into the team, which he has done and they've still done ok, and have been improving. yes, theyd had an iffy start but no worse than ours tbh, and McLaren is now reaping the rewards of what clough did before him.

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floridaboy added 17:21 - Oct 21 Sorry but if McCarthy wants to take the job he should have the balls to say so. If he is offered it really hope ME demands £1m compensation which will completely screw up their package for McCarthy Come on McCarthy, you either want it or you don't. Please don't p!ss the fans about. Maybe ME should ask for the £1m it was claimed MM got for keeping the club up last season. The longer this saga goes on the more the fans will turn on him if he continues to faff about. Not helping the players either I would have thought!!!

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Sebastian added 17:35 - Oct 21 It's like this. If he wants the Ireland job, if his heart is not at ITFC, he should leave. It's that easy. I really like MM, but to have a manager who sees ITFC as a second choice should not manage this club. If we are not in the front seat, please leave.
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Coey118 added 17:55 - Oct 21 If I'm not mistaken didn't Terry Connor manage us for the 4-0 win over Middlesbrough last season whilst mick was ill? So if mick does go why not give him a shot?
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JWM added 17:56 - Oct 21 Reading through some of these comments has made pi55 myself with laughter! All this indignation is just way over the top. We should be glad that we have a high calibre manager who is in demand but from what I can see no one has approached him so why all the hysteria! There is no job to turn down so let's cross that bridge if it happens. Jeez what is it with some people!
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blues1 added 18:07 - Oct 21 coey. ur right, tc did run the team on the day against boro(tho mick still picked the team). while I wouldn't be against him taking over I would fully expect tc to follow mcarthy to Ireland as they tend to work together as a team. and before ne1 says he didn't work with him last time that's because it was before they teamed up. and whentc took temporary charge at wolves it was because mm had no job. so I don't believe that would be an option.

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bohslegend added 18:37 - Oct 21 As a Town fan from Dublin, I know what the idiot sports media here are doing. Basically they are always trying to stir up controversy whether times are good or times are bad. Not that its likely to happen but if we won the World Cup Final 1-0 against Brazil (or better yet - England ;-) the Irish sports media would claim that if we had used different tactics/players we could have won 5-0. Never ever happy. At the moment they are putting pressure on the FAI to name someone - ANYONE! And this is leading to people like Eamon Fooking Dunphy to cheer lead for MM even though he was a chief instigator in driving him out of the same job in 2002. Take it with a pinch of salt peoples, my bet is on MM staying. And I for one would be delighted with that.

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bluefeast added 18:54 - Oct 21 he wants it to turn down i reckon
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jas0999 added 19:11 - Oct 21 Like the majority, I also hope that MM stays. Best manager we have had since Royle. But, like many, I also have a feeling he will go. If he does I wish him well - if he doesn't I look forward to Mick continuing the good work at PR. But, planning ahead, if the worst should happen, my immediate concern is who will take over and can we trust ME to make the right appointment? 1 out 3 so far in terms of success. Butcher and Clough seem favourites on here - but I don't like the thought of either. Clough did okay at Derby - but not exceptional. With little money to spend, can he take this group of players forward? Not in my opinion. Butcher hasn't excelled and no evidence he can do it in the Championship. Unlike when Mick was appointed, there are currently few options available, which is a big concern. Hope Mick stays.

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Pip50 added 19:22 - Oct 21 500k-1.0m euro payment to FAI to take him is pretty good value!!
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Langdon_Blue added 19:27 - Oct 21 I hope Mick stays but if he had a clause in his contract last season regarding the Ireland job then that already proves he has had that job on his mind before he even started at Ipswich. I don't think many on here would openly say in front of their bosses that they would rather work at company X without first being offered the job, so I don't know why anybody would think a football manager would commit career suicide either. The quicker Ireland get a new manager the better and hopefully it's NOT Mick McCarthy!!!

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Langdon_Blue added 19:39 - Oct 21 Oh and the idea that McCarthy should not aspire to 'better' management jobs than the Ipswich job, because if he does then he isn't focused on Ipswich, is crazy....In fact I'd be amazed if ANY manager of any team isn't looking to manage at a higher level than they currently are at, and that ambition is always a positive to their current club because its good results there that attract the bigger jobs. Exactly the same can be said of any player.

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Walk_the_Wark added 19:41 - Oct 21 Keanish- this from a man who thinks Mick plays attractive football and is satisfied with 'solid' mid table! You are a joke my friend!!!
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Walk_the_Wark added 19:47 - Oct 21 And for the record- we are in a decent position. So I have not been bemoaning our underachievement. What I have said, right from MM's appointment is 1) He will keep us up- he did- and thank god; but 2) He is tactically inept and negative in style and 3) He is not competent enough to succeed in perm- proven.
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Walk_the_Wark added 19:48 - Oct 21 thats prem lol
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martleshamitfc added 19:48 - Oct 21 Well Tony Mowbray is now out of work!
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JWM added 19:56 - Oct 21 So keeping Wolves in the Prem for 3 years doesn't make him a proven Prem manager! WTF are you on sunshine?
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StochesStotasBlewe added 20:10 - Oct 21 MM did a great job for us last season against the odds, of that there is no doubt. However, I,m no fan of his style of football, never have been, never will be & this coupled with high prices will continue to decrease attendances. I believe he will be offered the Ireland job, he will accept it & we all move on. Our faceless owner will then have a massive choice to make as MM has at least stabilised the playing side of our club, so any new appointment must be able to take us forward with new ideas & a more attractive style of play.

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sereneblue added 20:23 - Oct 21 Keanish. For a start what the hell has the tabloids got to do with my Own opinion? The disrespect from McCarthy comes from the lack of loyalty to our club and the way he has handled himself through this episode. When all said and done its just a job to him and the fact is he not going to be worried where Ipswich Town are situated today,tomorrow or any other day come to that if he leaves, unlike loyal fans that have supported this club for many years. Take the fans away from a club you have no club.

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Keaneish added 20:43 - Oct 21 Walk the wark - where have i said 'we play attractive football' and where have i said i want to settle for mid-table mediocrity? Clutching at straws with your anti-mick campaign i'm afraid fella...and you're massively in the minority! If he's tactically inept, how did he keep us up, win 2 promotions and take Ireland to the last 16 of a World Cup!!? Maybe its you who's a little naive? Don't see those accolades on Nigel Clough's CV.. Sereneblue - keep up with the news, MM has always said he'd like the Ireland job at some point in his career but has refused to be drawn on speculation when there's nothing on the table so your post lambasting his honesty and integrity is a knee jerk reaction based on zero substance. Not once has he shown lack of loyalty to this club... I agree with you Bluefeast. I have a feeling he wants to refuse it.

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blueboy1981 added 20:59 - Oct 21 blues1 - you're spot on - if not interested MM should have ruled it out, as the Managers you mention rightfully and honourably did. The reason he won't is because he wants the job, won't say so because he doesn't know what the offer would be, but if the FAI offer him another hefty handshake like we did to keep us in the Championship - HE WILL BE OFF. Agree with you ref: Clough - anyone who says 'he did nothing' at Derby haven't a clue about the job he was doing, and progressing well with. McLaren will now benefit, and he knows it - that's why he took the job.

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blueboy1981 added 21:03 - Oct 21 Keanish - ....... your words continuously smack of unbelievable naivety - however ALL entitled to their opinion - including myself. I reckon if the Club said we were changing our colours to Yellow / Green next week - you would believe it !!!
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Elizabeth added 21:09 - Oct 21 All this speculation and we don't know for sure yet if he's on his way.Must admit it does seem pretty likely though. I just hope that it's not Tony Pulis.His style of football is dire . Just heard that he is favourite for the Middlesborough post as poor old Mogga has been sacked today. Their fans can't be happy with that!
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Elizabeth added 21:15 - Oct 21 Watching the Palace v Fulham game. Holloway could be on his way out after this. Perhaps he would be a good contender!
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blueboy1981 added 21:27 - Oct 21 Elizabeth - my huge concern would be .......... Who have we at the Club who has the Football knowledge and experience to make the right decision on selecting a Manager ? I know who would be making that decision - but that doesn't fill me full of confidence at all. This will get me several minus's - but I would love to see Mick Mills given a crack with someone like Matty Holland as his Assistant at some point. We could do much, much worse. What we would have is people who would bleed Blue Blood - much to be said for that.

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