The FAI has denied making an approach to former South Africa and Japan manager Philippe Troussier to succeed Mick McCarthy as manager of the Republic of Ireland soccer team. The Frenchman, who resigned from the Japan job after the recent World Cup, told the BBC yesterday: "I have been approached by five or six national teams and Ireland is one of them," writes Emmet Malone.
But the 47-year-old, who is currently recovering from a knee operation, added that "after Japan, I think I should be careful about selecting the next team I manage. When I finish my treatment in France, I will go back to my house in Morocco and should come to a decision in January."
Acting FAI general secretary Kevin Fahy said, however, that the association had not approached Troussier or anybody else about the vacant job yet.
"We're still in the process of appointing an adviser," he remarked, "so unless somebody has done this off their own bat. I'm certainly not aware of any approach having been made, not officially at least."
Troussier's comments come two weeks after the influential magazine France Football first linked the colourful coach with a move to the Republic. Such a move would be in line with his declared aim to return to Europe after more than a decade of managing first club and then national sides in Africa and then Asia.
In February of this year he said he intended to move much closer to home after the summer's finals and maintained at that stage he had turned down the Scotland job.
Having now been to three World Cup finals - with Nigeria, South Africa and then Japan - as well as Olympic and World Youth Cup tournaments with Japan and a number of African Cup of Nations finals the Frenchman would certainly bring a wealth of experience to the job.
However, he has also proven to be a controversial figure, falling out with his employers on several occasions as well, as in at France '98 when he was in charge of the South Africans, and during the build-up to the most recent finals, with some of his players.
Fahy, meanwhile, said he would meet fellow officers Milo Corcoran and John Delaney this week in the hope of finalising the identity of an outside adviser to help with the process of recruiting the new manager.
"We have had discussions with a couple of people and we are hoping to be in a position to make a decision on the matter over the next few days," he said.
With Liam Brady declining a request to become involved speculation appears to centre on the likes of Kevin Moran and Mark Lawrenson.
Steve Staunton has said that he hopes to manage the team himself one day but that he does not envisage the opportunity arising for quite some time yet. The Aston Villa defender has confirmed his intention to earn coaching qualifications and pursue a career in management after he finishes playing.
Meanwhile, Kenny Dalglish is backing the passion of the Scottish and Irish fans to bring their counties success in their joint bid to host the 2008 European Championship.
"Both sets of fans have been acclaimed for the way they have conducted themselves at various championships around the world and if the authorities want to reward them for their good behaviour it's a nice way for them to show that," said Dalglish.
The final presentation will be made in Geneva tomorrow week, with the result announced 24 hours later. Scotland and Ireland have six rivals with the main opposition expected to come from the joint Austria-Switzerland bid and a four-country proposal from the Nordic nations.
