FAI 'near to the end' of their search for a manager

The Republic of Ireland are "near to the end" of their search for a new manager, with the FAI understood to have not given up on preferred candidate Lee Carsley.

Reports have suggested bookmakers' favourite Carsley had indicated he would not be replacing Stephen Kenny, who was relieved of his duties in November last year.

However, it's understood the FAI has not given up on Carsley and has been working to put a plan in place to persuade the current England Under-21s boss that the job was for him.

FAI director of football Marc Canham said: "We are near to the end of the process and we hope to conclude that as soon as possible.

"We don't want to put a specific timeline on it, to hold ourselves to. We just want to make sure we get the right person who is going to take us forward into friendlies that we have coming up for the rest of the year, an exciting draw for the Nations League that then leads us into the World Cup campaign."

Canham was speaking at the Nations League draw in Paris, which pitted the Boys in Green against England, Euro 2004 champions Greece plus Finland.

Asked whether there were any financial limitations affecting the recruitment process, FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill said: "We talk to the board in relation to the financial parameters that ideally we have been looking at.

"I think it is reasonable public knowledge as to how much we paid our previous manager and look, as everyone knows, we have a tight budget for 2024 and beyond, but that wasn't going to be the defining criteria in relation to the search and we have been open in relation to that, so that hasn't been an issue with any of the people we have spoken to up to now."

Hill insisted that no contract had yet been offered and no firm decision made.

Former