To be fair, it's the only job he could be realistically offered that he'd leave for - just wish the FAI would just hurry up one way or the other!

Marcus Evans is such a nyeev yuppy dooshbag that I fear who he'd be listening to on the replacement. Jewell and Keane were disasters while McCarthy was perfect for the job of keeping us up.

Magilton has the best finish for ME's Ipswich, and he thinks ME is a nobhead

He wouldn't be getting "frustrated" if he was just going to rule himself out, would he now? But if he hasn't ruled himself in or out, the journalists can't know something that we don't... So where has all this bullsh*t come from? Completely agree with Keaneish, this is "journalism" for the sake of selling papers.

Holloway PLEASE!!!!!

I've lost interest in the matter!

Put yourself in McCarthy's shoes. He knows he will be sacked end of next season if we don't go up (he should not be of course). If he is offered say a 5 year contract by Ireland with a handful of games a year to worry about, and the rest of the time being wined and dined and free entry to pretty much whatever game he wants to see, then what would you do? Its not about loyalty its just common sense. I'm Town through and through but i know what i would do!!!

What would you choose, late night coaches home rom Middlesborough and Yeovil?

Or double the money and First Clas hotels and flights swanning round Europe with most of your weekends off?

I have said this before, but how many of us would turn down a big opportunity if it came up at work? Do we all turn down promotion just to stay loyal to where we work? I think it is entirely understandable that MM would be attracted to the Ireland job. It is of course a shame that he might leave, but frankly long-standing mid-table Championship club, or international manager?? Many would be tempted. It would be fantastic if he had ruled himself out but we could not expect that. If he does go, he has still done the club a lot of good in terms of stabilizing.

And you never know, he may have provided the foundations for a better successor for all we know.

"Headhunter Ray Houghton" ???
What the hell does he know about appointing a manager ?
Oh I forgot he once scored a goal against Italy - my mistake.

This whole saga is really getting on my tits now..I like Mick & what he's done here but he's showing our club a total lack of respect by not giving us an honest answer/decision..he's going down in my estimation by the day..he needs to tell us/ME what he wants to do so we can all move along.

We've already missed out on a potential very good boss in Nigel Clough.

Time for Mick & the Irish FA to stop playing us for fools.

There are so many angles to this saga

Does MM want the Irish Job? Well, clearly, yes. He seemingly had a release clause in his initial managerial contract. The only inference from this is that there was a likelihood at that time that such a job proposal might be coming up.

Does he really want the job now? Maybe, maybe not. Speculation continues that he is the favourite to be offered it, but the fact remains that there is still much to happen first. The FAI have not advertised the post or even invited applications to be considered for it. Instead they have empowered a two man committee to take soundings and make recommendations as to an appointee. Until the FAI get their act together nothing can happen; they can't even make an offer to MM or even enter exploratory talks until ITFC give their express approval, which presumably would only be given if an appropriate compensation plan was agreed. MM knows all of this and even if he harbours ambitions to be an International Team Manager again, he will understand that due process is required.

Do the FAI really want MM? Again maybe, maybe not. They of course have their own agenda and views on timelines in respect to their appointment and ITFC fans can't expect to be entitled to be privy to their thoughts, but equally why should we be entitled to demand that MM make his position clear when the FAI have not yet done so. By making this demand we are clearly asking for just one response ie ruling it out.

Can the FAI afford him? The obvious short answer to this is no. If money is the driving force then MM would be a poorer man doing the Ireland job than being a successful manager at Ipswich.

Like many on here, for me the crucial point hangs on whether or not MM really wants to be here. I am happy to believe his statements that he enjoys his job and while progress is made he will continue to have my support.

Why all the fuss. MM says "ask me" and waits. If no one asks he stays. If they ask he has a decision to make.

But isn't this all shades of England and Harry Redknapp. Harry was never asked; the media assumed he would be and England went carefully along and appointed Hodgson.

What's different here?

Please don't let all this rubbish result in us kick starting Bolton's season and give them their first home win of the season.

Excellently put Blue041273

I am sure Mick will not respond to speculation, even if he fancies the Man Utd job at some stage when it could become vacant this season.

I think MM is just being cautious, he has never made it secret his wish is to manage ROI again in the future, maybe not at this juncture but if he does or says the wrong thing now, he may burn his bridges for the future, I can totally understand this and don't see it as any slight on his commitment to ITFC and his job here. He's done a great job along with TC so far and I'm sure this will continue. If however he goes he will do so with thanks, he's been brilliant for us.

If I was MM I think I might starting to take the hint form the Irish - "no approach yet". Maybe they don't actually want him !!!

Ruud Doktor..maybe its an undercover name for Simon Clegg as the long drawn out saga looks so much like the work of clegg !!..hopefully in much the way we never signed no one with him in control maybe ireland won't get there man neither.

I think Mick is just hanging this out so he can have the pleasure of telling the FIA to politely "shove it"

It makes me laugh how McCarthy is apparently getting 'frustrated' with the situation, as keaneish said it's the journalists twisting things because they have nothing to report on the matter.

However I still think Mick will leave, unless the offer is poor from the FAI. It's just who we would replace Mick with. A lot of managers like their own players, which will just rule ourselves out the running of the play offs for another season. Mick is our 4th manager in the Marcus Evans era!

I just hope for the sake of the club, players and fans this gets put to bed sooner rather than later, it surely must have an effect on the players and TC!
Should he go then its a case of we should thank him for his efforts, without him we would surely have been relegated, no doubt of that at all.
I will hold my hands up to the fact that before he was appointed it was a two horse race for the job, MM and our Mr Holloway, i hoped we would get the latter, did a great job with Blackpool with very little money, a club in a very simular position as ours, if we had appointed IH then none of this saga would be happening and i for one would if possibble have placed large sums of money that we would be having a better season than at present.
Maybe my wish will come true? and we get to see Ian at town doing what he does best, hmm

If Mick wants the job why doesn't he contact the FAI?

@Keanish - in other words a 'win/win' situation for him and hopefully if he stays for this club! god it's difficult for those with a name in football these days, and this after his colossal £1M payout for the work done last season.

Until they offer him "the job", there isn't a job to offer..........is there!!??