Mick McCarthy said yesterday that he will not sign a new two-year contract as national team manager, until after the game here tomorrow evening. "There is only one thing on my mind at the moment - and it's nothing to do with a contract," he said. "As I understand it, there is no problem - I hope to talk with FAI officials after the game."

Pat Quigley, the FAI President, denied that there was any significance in their failure to expedite the signing of the new deal which was agreed at the association's a.g.m. at Athlone in July.

"Anybody who tries to suggest that there is a doubt about Mick's future is guilty of mischief making," he said. "The new contract is there for him whenever he wishes to sign it, it has already been agreed with Mick and approved by the FAI Council.

"The association is appreciative of the job which he is doing and to that extent, there are no difficulties. It's now merely a matter of putting pen to paper."

Quigley confirmed that in the event of Ireland winning the play-off and qualifying for the finals, an early meeting with the Players Committee will be arranged to discus the question of qualification bonuses. At the request of the players, bonus talks were deferred until after the qualifying programme was concluded.