As the FAI headhunters report into their board of directors on Tuesday, Gus Poyet was surprised to see his name reappear in connection with managing the Republic of Ireland.
Poyet’s contract as Greece manager ends after the Euro 2024 playoffs next month, when his side are expected to qualify for the tournament by overcoming Kazakhstan and the winners of Georgia versus Luxembourg.
There has been no approach from the FAI despite the potential for the Uruguayan to be unemployed, even if Greece make it to their first major tournament since the 2014 World Cup.
“No, not at all,” Poyet responded to whether he or his agent had spoken to FAI director of football Marc Canham or chief executive Jonathan Hill, who both spent recent days in England, along with board member Packie Bonner, as they seek a replacement for Stephen Kenny.
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“At the moment, I promise you, zero. Nobody [contacted me]. I was surprised to see that news in the newspapers in the UK. It made news in Greece as you can imagine but, no, there was nothing.”
Greece were the only nation to take points off Didier Deschamps’s France during last year’s qualifiers, a 2-2 draw in Athens, and they beat Kenny’s Ireland home and away to finish third in Group B behind the Netherlands.
Poyet was struck by the popularity of the Irish national team as he noted after a 2-0 victory at the Aviva Stadium last October.
“The timing is really bad,” he explained at a Carslberg 0.0 promotional event on Monday. “I had a few offers in December and I explained to everybody how it is very nice when people want you to go manage a club or a national team but the timing is important as well, the respect.
“I say the truth: my contract runs out March 31st, independently of the results of the playoff, so we’ll see. I am fully focused on the playoff. It is our priority to go to the Euros after 10 years since Greece went to a big competition.”
The Hellenic Football Federation have yet to offer Poyet a contract extension so the FAI could examine his candidacy if he throws his hat into the ring and the position is vacant in April. Next month Ireland play friendlies against Belgium and Switzerland in Dublin.
“Any answer I give here will get me killed in Greece!” he continued. “People get upset when we tell the truth. I finished two contracts when I was a player. My four-year contract at Real Zaragoza I played every minute until the last minute. I did it again at Chelsea after renewing my contract. I was not afraid of getting injured. I signed a contract and the contract finished at the end of the season.
“Here is the same. There are no secrets. People ask is there a possibility I will not be the manager if we qualify for the Euros? I don’t know. Right now, I don’t have a contract. That’s the truth. If people get upset with the truth, fine. I am quite old not to face up to the truth.
“Time will tell. The focus is on making sure we qualify. After that, I don’t know.”
With Lee Carsley distancing himself from the Ireland job, reportedly opting to remain as England under-21 coach, former Celtic manager Neil Lennon has become the latest favourite to be awarded a four-year deal by the FAI.
“There is a process ongoing,” Lennon told Premier Sports on Saturday. “Whether I am part of the process or not remains to be seen ... I’ve just got to be patient and wait and see what decision they come to.”
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