Former Celtic, Leicester and Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill, the initial frontrunner for the Republic of Ireland manager’s job, has emerged as the fans’ favourite to succeed ex-Blues coach and skipper Tony Mowbray at Middlesbrough.

Mowbray was sacked by Boro earlier in the week with his assistant and former Town team-mate Mark Venus currently in caretaker charge.

While former Stoke boss Tony Pulis is the favourite with the bookmakers, O’Neill is the man supporters want to take over on Teesside, according to a poll in the Middlesbrough Gazette, with ex-Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo just behind him in second.

It’s reported in some sections of the Irish press that O’Neill has been given to the end of the week to rule himself in or out of the running for the Ireland job, which initially appeared to be his after Giovanni Trapattoni’s exit by mutual consent last month.

The 61-year-old has also recently been linked with Premier League Fulham and Norwich — where there are currently no vacancies — and it is his preference for another club role which is believed to have led to his reluctance to take the Ireland job.

According to reports earlier in the week and again today, the FAI are set to make an approach to the Blues regarding Mick McCarthy, now the odds-on bookies’ favourite, before the end of the week.

Perhaps inevitably, speculation that Mowbray might be viewed as a potential successor to McCarthy should he move on began soon after the former centre-half made his Boro exit.

Meanwhile, Bolton Wanderers will be without their first-choice keeper Adam Bogdan for Saturday’s game against Town and for the next three to six weeks. The Hungarian suffered a knee injury in training on Monday.

One-time Blues target Andy Lonergan is set to take his place in the Trotters’ line-up at the Reebok Stadium.

Photo: Action Images

JimmyJazz added 10:16 - Oct 23 So O'Neill has a week to rule himself in or out. No such ultimatum to MM, cos he's always been seen as 'in'
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Michael11 added 10:32 - Oct 23 Roberto Di Matteo. Forgot about him. Am I the only one who thinks he'd be a great replacement for McCarthy should he leave for ROI??
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kalypso added 10:34 - Oct 23 Even the FAI won't tie themselves to an old school stubborn mule like MM. Mick is just sending out his usual "come and get me" message to a Premiership side.
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Robbie12345 added 10:54 - Oct 23 Good news about Bogdan, nooo please not Mowbray..be happy with Di Matteo or Pulis in the worst case scenario if Mick was to leave
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Jimmy86 added 11:10 - Oct 23 I would be a huge advocate of di matteo as our next manager IF or perhaps WHEN MM gets the ireland job, would certainly get us playing better football, but just hope he wouldnt neglect the defensive side of the game. Plus would ME put up the money to bring him in?? Think we lack the ambition to bring in someone like di matteo :(
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Lukeybluey added 11:11 - Oct 23 di matteo would be a good shout!
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TractorCam added 11:13 - Oct 23 You lot actually think we would get Di Matteo?
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BillBlue added 12:38 - Oct 23 Not Mowbray - one more mistake will be the end of our club.
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Lathers added 13:01 - Oct 23 We've got as much chance of getting Di Matteo as Boro have. A job is a job and I don't see him working atm! One way or the other I just wish we knew what was happening with MM. This can't be having a positive effect on the squad.
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Blue4life added 13:19 - Oct 23 Roberto Di Matteo is a great shout! He managed West Brom in the Championship so why not again? As Lathers stated we have as much chance as Boro do!
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WhoisJimmyJuan added 13:19 - Oct 23 I reckon, McCarthy gets the Middlesbrough job, Frank Yallop gets the Ireland job, di Matteo gets the Palace job, Jewell gets the Alnwick Town job, Ian Holloway gets the Ipswich job. Or we could wait and see what happens?
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OldClactonBlue added 13:33 - Oct 23 Much as I might respect Mogga as a player and a person, he signed Grant Leadbitter, so I would dismiss any thought of him a s manager! Di Matteo would be the right type of guy to get ITFC back on track. He has the right philosophy for us!
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beerhelps added 13:48 - Oct 23 What Mogga?! You mean we would be expected to watch a team playing with the ball on the floor, see a team develop over time and our youngsters be given a chance rather than relying on overpaid-underperforming journeymen pros and loanees......what's the matter with upper management, don't they want to continue to hike the prices and drive down crowds! sarcastic rant over, nothing to see here........

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kingy4978 added 14:02 - Oct 23 So much speculation over MM but if he did move on I would love Ian Holloway to take over. I know he is at Palace but things seem a bit ropey for him there.
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hollywoodginge added 15:17 - Oct 23 Right wasn't gonna comment but I've now got the hump, in particular with the point made above about not wanting Mogga "because he signed Leadbitter" another precious Gem from another would be 'Stand Manager'. What a rediculous comment, Grant was and is a very good player but because he wasn't beating 5 men and lashing them in from 30 yards every week he was made the scapegoat all to often. He has grown in to one of the best midfielders in the division under Mowbray.

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steve1978 added 16:30 - Oct 23 Terry Butcher doing a fabulous job at Inverness. It's all hear say at the minute, so let's continue giving MM and the team out great support.
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pazelle added 17:24 - Oct 23 Gutted Bogdan is injured - he's cack!
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bluefeast added 17:37 - Oct 23 MM will turn down ireland if offered , anyway 1 million of compensation kills it. If he goes i would like to see Arnold Muran get the job
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Keaneish added 17:47 - Oct 23 Hollywoodginge - what did Leadbitter do for us that Hyam hasn't? Leadbitter was a collosal waste of cash in my opinion and Leadbitter fared no better than Hyam against us this season. Glad he's gone.
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blueboy1981 added 18:06 - Oct 23 FIA and MM - make your minds up in that order, very soon, please and thank you. Several damn good Managers available right know (including Holly, who probably should have been here already) - all we need is to get rid of this current uncertainty and HOPEFULLY Evans will at last realise that he needs to release the purse strings to the right man. A genuine 'true blue' required who we can rely on to care about us, and the whole Club. Equally required is this important trait from the likes of the current Owner / MD's , etc; That quality and commitment is already here from the likes of ourselves.

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blueboy1981 added 19:09 - Oct 23 ...... I ask you ? - who, other than an ITFC follower could / would minus the above - SPEECHLESS.
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GFH added 20:48 - Oct 23 If MM does go I reckon it would be great to Holloway or Di Matteo in charge but can you really see either of them coming to us?
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blueboy1981 added 21:08 - Oct 23 GFH - .... we had the chance to have Holloway before MM was appointed - FACT - so don't see that as a problem. Purse strings may be though !!
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hossblue added 00:00 - Oct 24 Has anybody thought of giving Brian Klug another chance should MM go?
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clint_eastwood added 05:46 - Oct 24 Micky Mills for Town!!!
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