Hill: 'Nobody has been offered the job and nobody has turned it down'

The FAI admit they have an idea of their preferred candidate to become Ireland manager but top target Lee Carsley is viewed very much part of England’s future.

Gareth Southgate offered that declaration after his side were pitted against Ireland, Finland and Greece in the Uefa Nations League later this year.

FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill and Director of Football Marc Canham, who along with Packie Bonner have been interviewing prospective bosses, both spoke after the draw on constant speculation that Carsley is close to being appointed.

While stressing that nobody has been offered the job, nor rejected it, Canham indicated endgame on the 11-week recruitment process was looming.

Yesterday’s event was the target set by Hill when discussing the vacancy in December but it’s believed the minutiae of terms and conditions slowed the quest to lure former Ireland midfielder Carsley from the England U21 job he’s flourished in by winning Euro gold last summer.

Denying that the salary, comparable to what managers with middling Championship clubs pocket, turned contenders off, Canham was upbeat about bringing the search to a satisfactory outcome.

“We’re near the end,” said the chief headhunter.

“We don't want to put a specific timeline to hold ourselves to - but hope to do it as soon as possible.

“It hasn’t necessarily (taken longer than envisaged).

"We had a period to go through the process and, similar to the women's team manager; wanting a thorough and robust process.

“We're absolutely confident that we're following a similar process to what we did with the women.

“We just want to make sure we get the right person who is going to take us forward into friendlies coming up, an exciting draw for the Nations League that