10 contenders to become the next FAI's chief executive

Just as a long list of candidates is trimmed to a sole name as new Ireland manager later this week, another emerges as the successor to one of those responsible for selecting him.

Jonathan Hill’s position as chief executive was untenable from the moment his explanation around knowledge of an erroneous holiday payment changed between two visits to face questioning from politicians at Government buildings.

He’ll be forever recalled as the man who came after John Delaney’s 15-year power marathon but not for much else as his three-and-a-half year stay ebbs out anticlimactically.

Attention now turns to sourcing his replacement and identity of same.

A current salary of €258,000 is still around €100,000 shy of what Delaney pocketed, even before his infamous ancillary perks, but will appeal to a certain profile.

After consciously recruiting someone outside the Irish scene by picking ex-English FA and Wembley executive Hill, they may revert to the domestic market.

Atop of the big-ticket items such as securing a main sponsor and new manager without this unwieldy delay, an ability to mix with the various strands of the game, which Hill struggled in, is a must.

The newcomer doesn’t need celebrity status like Delaney craved, yet cannot be cast as the aloof character Hill was renowned as.

Here we assess the credentials of 10 candidates:

David Courell:

Interim status tends to trigger permanent residency in Abbotstown of late so the Mayoman has gotten a start by being elevated from chief operating officer while the ad is placed and interviews commence.

He began his stint in the UK with Deloitte before being operations manager of the Olympic Stadium hosting the 2012 London Games. From the British Paralympic association, he