KEVIN MORAN has emerged as a strong contender to succeed Jack Charlton as Republic of Ireland manager. After avoiding the initial interviews over a week ago, Moran was included in the final round of interviews which the six man, FAI selection committee conducted for the managerial vacancy in London yesterday.

Moran's non appearance in room 51 of the Marriott Hotel last week wasn't really questioned. He was, no doubt, happy to avoid the unseemly media publicity which surrounded that shambles.

The FAI delegation which travelled to London yesterday also interviewed the trio of survivors from that first round Millwall manager Mick McCarthy, the currently unemployed Dave Bassett and Wimbledon manager Joe Kinnear.

Kinnear's sudden withdrawal indicates that he already saw the writing on the wall, though bearing in mind his previously undiluted desire to manage the country of his birth it is also a damning commentary on the manner this process has been conducted. If he had been treated with the respect his Premiership credentials warranted, he would never have taken this course of action.

The selection sub committee comprised FAI president Louis Kilcoyne, senior vice president Pat Quigley, the honorary treasurer Joe Delaney, his fellow honorary vice president and National League president Michael Hyland, the Shelbourne chairman Finbarr Flood and the non voting FAI general secretary Sean Connolly. As with the first round, it is believed that Des Casey, another vice president, did not attend the interviews.

Hugely conscious of the commercial importance of the new appointment, some of the aforementioned power brokers and other members of the FAI's executive council see the articulate and wealthy Moran as the most popular contender.

Not alone does the former Dublin All Ireland winner draw support from a wider base amongst the sporting public, the 71 times capped former international and Manchester United centre half is also seen as the best drawing card with regard to sponsors and ticket block bookings.

Some also see Moran as the best man to lure prospective second and third generation players to the Republic of Ireland cause in the immediate future. Moran has played the media skillfully in the last few weeks, never declaring his hand, even though he long ago stated his desire to manage his country. In the meantime others, most notably some players, touted him for the assistant manager's job in a dream ticket with McCarthy.

However, McCarthy's three years of relative success with First Division Millwall no longer weighs so heavily over the untried Moran. Increasingly, at club and international level, the trend is moving toward younger, recently retired, big name managers. That Moran would be a huge gamble in coaching terms may not matter unduly. He is available and free.

For the same reason, Bassett has emerged as a serious contender. McCarthy is not nearly the favourite many have been making him out to be, while Kinnear, arguably the best qualified, suffered for not being in with the administrators. He lacked influential allies on the inside.

However, the situation is far from clear cut. The six man selection sub committee are unlikely to agree unanimously on their choice, and when they call meetings of the FAI's executive council and full council next week, their recommendation will not necessarily be a fait accompli.

It is still, as one insider put it, "all to play for". But the smart money may now be resting on Moran, which could explain why bets approximating £600 on his candidature yesterday resulted in his odds with one bookmaker tumbling from 16 to 1 to 3 to 1.