Potential candidates to be Ireland's next manager

The search is on for the FAI to find a replacement for Martin O'Neill after his five-year reign as Ireland manager came to an end on Thursday. Here are six potential candidates who could get the gig...

Mick McCarthy Evens
An infamous bust-up with star player Roy Keane overshadowed the 2002 World Cup run when McCarthy was in the hotseat previously, but it is worth remembering Ireland reached the last 16 and went out of the competition to Spain only in a penalty shootout.

Enough time appears to have passed for McCarthy not to be defined by the Keane episode and his subsequent solid jobs at Sunderland, Wolves and Ipswich seems to make him a worthy favourite.

McCarthy is said to be open to a return, but is the 59-year-old Yorkshireman a bit too similar in style to the pragmatic O'Neill and would Ireland be better off looking for a fresh approach?

Stephen Kenny 3-1
If that is the case then Kenny could be the man to make a difference - as long as the FAI are prepared to overlook his lack of big-league experience.

Kenny has been a sensation at Dundalk, winning four League of Ireland titles in five years, and making waves in Europe.

They were just one match away from qualifying for the Champions League and acquitted themselves well in the Europa League group stages, drawing with AZ Alkmaar and beating Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Kenny is a progressive coach who wants his team to play football but there will be a snobbery from some who don't believe a League of Ireland manager can make the significant step up to this level.

Sam Allardyce 10-1
Big Sam started his managerial career in Ireland with Limerick but could he be about to go full circle by taking the national team job?

Allardyce was controversially removed from his position as England boss and has a reputation for being able to organise a limited group of players so would be a fair shout to replace O'Neill, although he probably would be more expensive than McCarthy and definitely Kenny.

Paul Cook16-1
Scouser Cook is known to Irish fans after his work with Sligo Rovers, but has since enhanced his reputation after gaining Football League promotions with Chesterfield, Portsmouth and Wigan.

Cook, who signed a new four-year contract with the Latics in May, advertises an attractive brand of football but odds of 16-1 highlight others are more likely candidates.

Brian Kerr 20-1
A popular TV pundit in Ireland, Kerr was previously in charge from 2003to 2005 and some felt the decision to replace him with Steve Staunton 13 years ago was incredibly harsh.

However, Kerr is 65 and has not held a management position since departing Faroe Islands in 2011. The FAI should consider putting Kerr in the set-up but maybe as a technical director.

Steve Bruce 20-1
He was labelled a dinosaur by Aston Villa supporters after a poor start to this season saw him sacked, but Steve Bruce has a strong track record of achieving promotion to the Premier League.

Bruce, often regarded as one of the best players never to have played for England, has Irish roots and claimed Sir Alex Ferguson stopped him from representing Jack Charlton's side at USA 94.

His son Alex represented Ireland at Under-21 level but switched to Northern Ireland for his senior career.

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