Blues boss Mick McCarthy is listed as one bookmaker’s favourite for the Republic of Ireland job should current incumbent Martin O’Neill depart for Stoke City.

O’Neill has held talks with the Potters, although they are also understood to have spoken to Espanyol manager Quique Sanchez Flores, who is believed to be their top target.

Former Irish international centre-half McCarthy was previously in charge of Ireland for more than five years from 1996 and took them to the second round of the 2002 World Cup where they lost on penalties to Spain.

Paddy Power lists the Town manager as their 7-2 favourite - at the time of writing - to succeed O’Neill should he move on, with ex-Blues manager Roy Keane, currently the former Northern Irish international’s assistant, second in the running at 6-1.

McCarthy was strongly linked with a return to the Ireland job in 2013 before O’Neill was handed the role.

Ireland failed to qualify for this summer’s World Cup in Russia after being beaten 5-1 by Denmark in a play-off, all the goals coming in the second leg in Dublin.

O’Neill has verbally agreed a two-year extension to his Ireland contract but is yet to put pen to paper, which means he is currently effectively a free agent.

McCarthy’s Town contract is up at the end of the season and appears likely to leave the Blues, despite the club having an option to keep him for two further seasons.

Photo: TWTD

iaintaylorx added 16:47 - Jan 11 YES PLEASE!
19

Northstandveteran added 16:48 - Jan 11 Good news at last
16

oldbri added 16:50 - Jan 11 YIPPIE DIPPY DO
11

Len_Brennan added 16:50 - Jan 11 There it is, straight forward enough, all sorted.
9

warktheline added 16:52 - Jan 11 More than happy to drive McCarthy out of the gates of Portman Rd and drop him off anywhere outside the county of Suffolk! Free of charge!
14

itfc58 added 16:54 - Jan 11 Don't wish to put the dampers on this but i think ex Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores is odds on favorite for the Stoke job :-(
4

PortmanTerrorist added 16:56 - Jan 11 Come on Milne, dare you to put a positive spin on this piece of news !! Objectively, i have no idea why MM sticks around to (at best) tread water, scrambling around for bargain players just to score the goal of mid table mediocrity, or the stated goal at the start of the season of scarping into the play-offs. If he has any ambition left he should go, and let's get someone in who sees promotion as the only reason to take the job and who demands the tools to try and achieve that.

13

Alfiesboys added 16:59 - Jan 11 I'll pay for the taxi
11

howdonblue added 17:00 - Jan 11 Please please please let this happen
14

howdonblue added 17:02 - Jan 11 We are not that lucky 🍀
3

TimmyH added 17:03 - Jan 11 With the amount of draws and low scoring games the Rep. of Ireland have been in over recent years then McCarthy is the ideal candidate...somebody start up the helicopter.
11

brittaniaman added 17:08 - Jan 11 TAXI FOR DINO !!!!!
4

jabberjackson added 17:10 - Jan 11 I'd love to be a fly on Roy Keane's wall should this one play out Priceless!
7

jabberjackson added 17:11 - Jan 11 We'll have Flores to replace McCarthy He would be ace
4

MoscowBlueMule added 17:16 - Jan 11 walktheline, i'll take that last space! Anyone who thinks it will be a renaissance post MM are deluded. Until we see some real investment by the owner, MM is the best man for the job..........
-16

blue75 added 17:17 - Jan 11 If he were to get that job it would be the perfect solution he could leave early without breaking his contract!!!
4

OnlyOneSuperJim added 17:20 - Jan 11 Be careful what you wish for So McCarthy going and anything will be rosy - McCarthy probably over- achieving at the moment - what do we expect working with mainly freebies and loanees
-14

bluearmy81 added 17:20 - Jan 11 I'd make Keane Ireland manager with McCarthy as his number two . Now that would be interesting
8

wayway added 17:23 - Jan 11 I am waiting for the first idiot to post on here 'be careful what you wish for. How about an extra 3000 on the gate when he finally goes, plus an extra 2000 when we get shot of Evans PLC
19

Spanishblueblood added 17:32 - Jan 11 Warktheline I vote for Gcon or Pratmatic to join your minibus trip!
7

baxter7 added 17:34 - Jan 11 Do they want mcarthys phone number they can use my phone if they like don't matter how much it cost me
3

beornioblue added 17:35 - Jan 11 Its not a case of careful what you wish for its a case of getting in any attack minded manager who can get our club playing back the way it used to and getting its identity as a good footballing side back. I personally believe there's plenty of players in our current squad who if played the correct way would be streets ahead of where they are now and who would relish being able to play a ball through midfield rather than chase high hopeful balls the only outlet being an occasional flick on or missed defensive clearance!! It so obvious to all that there has been a gaping hole in midfield that the ball simply travels over. An attack minded manager would look to that first to take the pressure off the defence and build a strong attack with through balls and running into the channels and all those "cliches" which other teams take for granted but have been missing at Town for years now.

18

TimmyH added 17:35 - Jan 11 Gcon and Kikapu will have reserved seats at the back of your minibus @warktheline (so they can hang their McCarthy scarf along the back of the seats to be seen out the back window).
7

happybeingblue added 17:39 - Jan 11 not ireland please no ....wales yes!!
-1

Marcus added 17:41 - Jan 11 I'd just love to see McCarthy as the Ireland boss and Roy Keane as his assistant... what could possibly go wrong?
8

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls