Lee Carsley to reject chance to manage Ireland - reports

England Under-21 manager Lee Carsley has turned down the chance to be the next manager of the Republic of Ireland, according to reports.

Carsley, who played 40 times for Ireland, was the front-runner to replace Stephen Kenny with the FAI understood to be keen to finalise a deal in the coming days, but he will now reject the opportunity.

A number of other candidates have been linked to the vacant position including Neil Lennon, Roy Keane and Chris Hughton, the latter dismissed by Ghana earlier this week after a disappointing campaign at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Bayern Munich and Portugal assistant coach Anthony Barry has also been mentioned as a possible successor.

"If the opportunity came along, I would love to have the conversation. It's an opportunity that doesn't come around too often," said Lennon in November, while Keane has also indicated that he would be open to being involved in any new potential set-up.

Carsley had been widely accepted as the man the FAI preferred though, with the England U21 manager catching the eye by guiding the side to the European Championship in 2023.

The Daily Mail reported that the former Everton and Birmingham player still holds ambitions of replacing Gareth Southgate, whose contract runs out later this year, in the England senior role.

Former Republic of Ireland international Ray Houghton - who was on the selection committees that eventually recommended the hiring of Giovanni Trapattoni and Martin O'Neill - said it would be a setback for the FAI.

"It would be a bit of a blow. Lee has done incredible work with the England Under-21 players and I believe he would have had a nucleus of players to work with in the Ireland squad," Houghton told RTÉ News.

"If it is not Carsley, the FAI will do their