FAI Want Martin O’Neill To Replace Giovanni Trapattoni As Manager Of Republic Of Ireland

Posted by

Sixty-one-year-old has been out of a job since being sacked by Sunderland in March. 

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) are set to approach Martin O’Neill within the next 48 hours about taking over from the recently departed Giovanni Trapattoni as the next head coach of the Republic of Ireland, according to reports in the Daily Mail.

The veteran 74-year-old was relieved of his duties as Republic manager on Wednesday following the Emerald Isle’s disappointing 1-0 World Cup qualifying loss to Austria in Vienna the night before that all but ended any hopes Ireland may have had of competing at next summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil.

And that defeat to group rivals Austria also came hot on the heels of Friday night’s underwhelming display against Sweden in Dublin, with the visitors leaving the Irish capital with a come-from-behind 2-1 win.

All of which means that FAI chief executive John Delaney now hopes to be able to persuade former Leicester City, Glasgow Celtic, Aston Villa and Sunderland manager O’Neill to take the role in time to prepare the team for March’s World Cup qualifier against runaway group leaders Germany in Cologne, followed by their final fixture at home to Kazakhstan.

O’Neill, 61, has been out of work since being sacked by Premier League strugglers Sunderland back in March.

More Stories Republic of Ireland