KEVIN KILBANE SAYS that Mick McCarthy would be an excellent choice for the Ireland job but believes there are several candidates worthy of taking the role.
While there has been no word from the FAI on how the search for a Giovanni Trapattoni’s replacement has been going in a couple of weeks, Mick McCarthy is the current favourite to return to the positin he held between 1996 and 2002.
Former West Brom, Sunderland and Everton player Kilbane, who earned 110 international caps, has nothing but praise for the man who handed him his senior debut back in 1997 but insists that there will be plenty of experience managers after the job.
“I think it would (be a good move to bring back Mick) but they’ve got a lot of candidates,” Kilbane told TheScore yesterday.
For me, he is a wonderful coach, a brilliant man-manager. I think he is very good tactically and he knows people. He has got a lot of experience behind him and had the job before. In that respect, everything points towards him because of what he has achieved and what he has done with his life.
The thing is, you just can’t rule anyone in or out at this time. There are so many people within world football who want the job simply because the salary on offer. It’s a huge job now and it’s recognised throughout world football.”
Captain Robbie Keane has said that the new man should be in place before Ireland play again, but with a friendly game with Poland in Poznan now confirmed for 19 November, that may not be possible.
Kilbane’s view is that it will be useful exercise for inexperienced players regardless of whether there is a permanent manager in place.
“We need to play the games and need the players to get more experience,” he said. “There are only a few games before the next qualifying campaign so the players need international football.
“Personally I would like to see a manager in place to oversee it but if that’s not the case it isn’t the end of the world.”
Kevin Kilbane was speaking at Dublin City Council’s Shared Histories – Smart Futures Summit today on the area of how people and sports can drive collaboration between the cities of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
