Soccer: The Icelandic FA has not ruled out the prospect of Roy Keane becoming the next manager of the national team.

A report this morning claimed the former Manchester United captain and Republic of Ireland international was the leading candidate to replace outgoing boss Ólafur Jóhannesson.

However, the claims are being played down by the Icelandic FA, though a spokesman admitted "interviews have taken place with a number of coaches”.

"We cannot confirm or deny anything," he told The Irish Timesthis afternoon. "All it is so far is news in various papers on websites, so I can't really confirm anything. We've also had Lars Lagerback (former Sweden manager) and Stuart Baxter (former Finland manager) linked with the position.

He added: “We’re in no hurry because the current coach’s contract runs until the end of the qualification campaign, which finishes with a game against Portugal on October 7th.

Iceland are currently bottom of Group H in the Euro 2012, with a solitary point garnered from a stalemate in Cyprus.

Keane guided Sunderland to promotion from the Championship in 2007, a feat which saw him named the league’s ‘Manager of the Year’. After failing to progress in the Premier League, he left the Black Cats in 2009 but was appointment Ipswich Town manager two months later.

In his first full season at the club, the Tractor Boys finished 15th in the Championship and Keane was sacked halfway through the following campaign, in January 2011.