Former international Joe Kinnear rejected the chance to be interviewed for the vacant Republic of Ireland manager's job, insisting that he 'doesn't do interviews'.
The FAI panel, comprising Kevin Fahy, John Delaney and Milo Corcoran and special adviser Bryan Hamilton, have already started interviewing the six candidates they shortlisted.
But Kinnear claims he refused to join that list in a telephone conversation with former Northern Ireland coach Bryan Hamilton, the FAI's headhunter.
Kinnear said: "He asked me if I would go on a shortlist and be interviewed along with seven or eight other people, and I said no.
"If they don't know what I'm capable of doing, why interview me? I've done enough in my life. If they want to give me the job they can, but I don't do interviews."
Kinnear, an early favourite for the job, has since slipped out of the reckoning after indicating his disinterest, with Brian Kerr the current front-runner.
The former Wimbledon boss turned down the chance to succeed Jack Charlton in 1996 because the FAI did not offer him enough money.