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Martin O'Neill for Republic of Ireland job?
Speculation is rife in the Irish media this evening that O'Neill will be unveiled as new ROI boss early next week. It's not clear whether he has actually agreed to the role or if talks or at a very advanced stage, but it sounds like it's close enough to a done deal at this point.
If confirmed, he should be in charge for the friendlies against Latvia and away to Poland this month,
If confirmed, he should be in charge for the friendlies against Latvia and away to Poland this month,
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He was but turned them down yesterday morning apparently (which has partly fuelled the Irish speculation)
He certainly would / will be an interesting choice for Ireland. I'd be intrigued to see what ideas he would bring to the table and which members of the current extended squad he would favour.
Edit : Story appears to be true. Irish and British broadsheets now reporting that Roy Keane will be Martin's assistant manager with the Republic. We're heading into interesting times
International soccer management for a small country like Ireland isn`t rocket science.
You pick your best players, you give them straightforward instructions, and you send them out to play.
All the rest of it is bollox.
Perhaps the two most famous Irishmen in British football....one as a manager and the other as a player. They definitely would be a box office managerial team.
I hope the rumours about Keane aren't true though because his attitude towards the team during the 2002 World Cup was unforgivable. Besides, he's just an idiot. Great player, but the man really doesn't know much about football and isn't cut out for that sort of role.
Pat Fenlon would be a better choice.
He clearly didn't cut it as a manager so maybe it might actually work if he doesn't have the ability to lay down some of the ridiculously OTT rules he apparently did when he was in charge of Sunderland and Ipswich.
Keane would be a very divisive figure as the first team manager, but working under O'Neill might be a different matter and make him more acceptable to everyone. There's speculation that another assistant may also be brought in to take charge of coaching on the training ground......perhaps O'Neill and Keane would work as the two big motivators in a good cop / bad cop routine.
Apparently though O'Neill has a good relationship with Keane going back years and it is MON's decision to bring him on board the Irish management setup. Keane is certainly a bit of loose cannon but it will be fascinating to see how the two of them work as a pair and with O'Neill as the boss.