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

RetroBlue added 12:51 - Oct 21 Sadly MM clearly wants the Ireland job. Lets get this done and dusted so our Club can move on and appoint a new manager. The ongoing speculation WILL harm the continuity / form of the team. On a separate note: Had we this time last season been given the option of having MM for a 1 year period and whose remit was to keep us up, and receive a bonus to achieve this goal but would then move onto another job. WE would Im sure all have taken this short term strategy. MM achievements for ITFC have been breath taking , given what he inherited. Ignore what he was paid to achieve that goal : He's more than earned it IMO as he (and Evans actions in bringing McCarthy in) has saved this Club from oblivion and the outlay of MM's contract and reported £1m bonus pale into insignificance when compared to the loses we would have incurred had we been relegated to League One. ** IF he does leave us , I would want us to acknowledge what he has achieved and done for Ipswich Town FC and "Thank" him for this, then move on to a new era. He and TC have definitely left us in a far better place. Maybe the time is actually right to bring in another manager with a more attacking ethos to take us to that next level?

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sereneblue added 13:10 - Oct 21 I think McCarthy is showing a lot of disrespect to our club and fans with his indecision . If you want to go, then fine go,but stop turning this into a circus!
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dannym09 added 13:21 - Oct 21 i currently live in burton and many of my clients are derby fans . Most of the derby fans were disappointed in cloughs sacking as he was instrumental in bringing the young lads through and cutting the wage bills. However alot of players did not like cloughs no nonsense approach ( no surprise there) and one of these players was our beloved shefki kuqi. I would be happy to see nigel here at portman palace as he would suit our club. He is currently not looking for a club as he wants family time so i doubt he would go to sheffield utd so soon. I believe the irish fa are looking at a december appointment so we will wait and see !

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planetblue_2011 added 13:31 - Oct 21 Terry Terry Terry Terry Terry Terry Terry Connor!! He's the man for the job!!
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ericclacton added 14:07 - Oct 21 I think MM has played this all wrong, I think the whole issue stinks.
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blues1 added 14:09 - Oct 21 dannym. o what you base your post? hes currently not looking for a job?, hes already been interviewed for the sheff utd job about 2 weeks ago, sl I think he is, don't you? and they are looking for a December appointment? no, they've clearly stated they want a new man in place before the November friendlies. so my guess is itll be in the next few days that we'll know if mm going or not.

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StowTractorBoy added 14:12 - Oct 21 Mick McCarthy must stay and it makes me laugh when people say if het gets up up he will take us down. I'd give the world for us to go up and give it a try. MM has done a fantastic job here and is still a building exercise. I for one did not expect us to get promoted this season but expected mid to high table stability building on from last season. If MM goes it could cause much disruption and as for Clough having tactical know how - I don't think so. No ex Town players either thank you. Just hope Mick stays.

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broadside added 14:49 - Oct 21 Unbelievable, utterly baseless tabloid nonsense. Without logic, sense, reason or fact and I am astonished that The Daily Star and the Irish bloody Mirror are seen as remotely credible by anyone. I'll offer just one of a dozen possible rebuttals. Why exactly would Marcus Evans let a manager go who at last offers him a chance of the Premiership status he craves after three attempts at trying to a country he could buy buy a dozen times over for compensation that wouldn't pay for his golf club membership???. ME will have nothing to do with any of this and MM doesnt walk way from contracts. Period.

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blues1 added 15:00 - Oct 21 broadside. admire ur optimism on this but with his refusal to rule himself out, mm has made it clear that hes interested.an while me may well not wanna lose mick I don't thik hed risk mm just quitting in which case thered be no compensation due neither. hile ur right that mm hasnot previously walked away from a contract, if he indeed does want this job I fear he may well do so if hes prevented from going.

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blues1 added 15:02 - Oct 21 oh, and you say its utter tabloid nonsense. on its own, I may agree with you, but the bookies had him at evens yesterday and they are very rarely wrong on these things as they have good inide information.
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cyprustractorboy added 15:09 - Oct 21 Mick is bang out of order this will cause problems in the team if not sorted quickly he should have stated that he did not want the job offered or not or that he did want the job if offered. i would like to see him gone thanks for the short ride and bring in someone who wants to play attacking football and get this club back on the rails Norwich must be laughing themselves to death

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ArnieMsBigToe added 15:32 - Oct 21 I think that you are all gonna get a surprise. I think that MM will say he doesn't want the Ireland job. I think that MM will say that he has unfinished business with Ipswich. Come on people. Have a bit of faith!!
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Paulc added 15:40 - Oct 21 I'm sick of all this crap! Would you seriously expect MM to burn this bridge and categorically say he is not interested? Why would anyone do that, in an industry that sacks managers for losing 4 games in the first 9 of the season (look at Derby)? Talk of MM's replacement is frnkly futile and boring me to tears!
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Keaneish added 15:42 - Oct 21 Walk the wark - you've been bemoaning the fact that we're underachieving yet you want clough in charge, who in 4 years, with a little cash to spend has only ever achieved mid-table mediocrity!!! Sorry but out of many diverse opinions on here, I don't find any value, logic or sense in yours!
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Keaneish added 15:46 - Oct 21 Exactly Paulc! Sereneblue - MM hasn't been offered anything to accept or reject so why is he showing disrespect!!? Maybe get your head out of the trashy tabloids and think before posting?
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spanishblue added 15:55 - Oct 21 Well one thing about football is they come they go he kept us up last season .little short of a miracle job thanks .now as itfc fans how many of you would jump at the chance to take your dream job yes I'd be at the front of a long list I'm sure let's hope they make a good choice good luck to MM .Now Mr Evans I,m ready willing & able very cheap can start tomorrow
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SimonthePieman added 16:17 - Oct 21 Terry Connor as manager? A quick glance at his Wikipedia entry reveals that when he took over at Wolves after MM was sacked, "In his thirteen games, he failed to achieve any wins and gained only four points from a possible 39." He's good....not....
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dirtydingusmagee added 16:28 - Oct 21 Sadly even i am now believing Mick will go.A new manager will be yet another''new broom'' and we will be starting all over again !.Cant understand those on here saying Mick wouldnt keep us in the Prem, we arent in the Prem yet but we were making progress towards that, its a case of walk before you run .Getting into the top flight is the aim, then see how things look with Mick .I for one will be crossing my fingers that Mick stays.

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blueboy1981 added 16:47 - Oct 21 ....... he obviously wants to be asked - and if he is, and the deal is right - HE WILL GO. ............... SO GOOOOOO.
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ormey75 added 16:52 - Oct 21 Nigel clough? thanks but no thanks, 5 years at derby and took them noware, Tony pulis? people moan about micks style of football but look how stoke played under pulis, Darren ferguson for me, his teams score bag loads of goals and he likes a striker
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TrueBlue93 added 16:55 - Oct 21 I wish Mick would just come out and say either way! This is the kind of speculation that cost Tottenham a champions league place in 2012
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Hegansheroes added 17:02 - Oct 21 All the speculation about McCarthy is becoming very boring. I just hope he goes and takes his incredibly boring style of football with him. Why does he have the reputation as a good manager, yes he has won promotion but has failed miserably to keep his teams in the premiership mainly because his style of playing is so outdated. If he goes we won't have to listen to the incredibly tedious S. Yorkshire droning and what he says usually makes little or no sense. I have always thought he was inept, as a player, coach and pundit. One of the most annoying people in football. Would love to see him and Keane on the same panel of pundits, hell, that could be entertaing.

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CornardBlue added 17:04 - Oct 21 Ray Houghton said on talk sport yesterday that they would come up with a short list for the job in 10 days time, and as yet they had not had a full committee meeting to discuss any candidates. You cannot blame MM for keeping his options open, anyone would in his position. Saying that I hope he stays as we are making progress the addition of an attacking midfielder and another striker, I think is all we need.

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lojd added 17:17 - Oct 21 We all know that when it comes to the media and dealings, MM tries to be as tight lipped as possible. So it's hardly surprising that he hasn't come out and made a rash statement about not being interested. Personally I don't feel insulted that MM hasn't declared himself not interested, I also think he and the players playing under him are professional enough to not let speculation affect their performance.

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blueboy1981 added 17:18 - Oct 21 Hegansheroes - ....... I have to admit there is some truth and FACT in your post. I do think his man management skills are to be admired - but this alone doesn't score goals, or win matches. Having said that - credit to him for keeping in the Championship last season, but I would be surprised if he could take us much further - especially with the funds he has available (not). Then again - WHO CAN ?? Your last suggestion would be an experience to behold.

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