“The short-term project is to get the right man in place now and I think Martin O’Neill is the right man.
“He has an outstanding record in the game in Britain. He will be more attentive to detail, he will go to matches, and he will understand the footballing culture here more than Trapattoni ever did.
John Giles
“He has a great CV. Look what he did with Wycombe and Leicester. He did it at Villa, he did it at Celtic.
“Sunderland, you don’t know what happened at Sunderland, but you don’t suddenly become a bad manager overnight.
“I think the quicker the better. The sooner you get the new man into position it gives him two matches before we go into another campaign and the sooner the better.”
Roy Keane
“Martin O’Neill would be a good choice as the Republic of Ireland manager. I know a little bit about Martin, I think he would be a very good choice. I think the FAI have done the right thing in stepping back and taking a look at what is out there but I think Martin would be a very good choice, a good guy for the job.”
Mick McCarthy
“Martin O’Neill is out of work and he can walk straight into the job. I think he’s perfect for them.”
“He’s ex-Celtic and is a damn good manager. My understanding is that he’s got the job. Good luck to him, I’m delighted.”
Neil Lennon
“There is a lot for Martin, if he does take the job, to work on. It could suit him in terms of his personal side of things and if there is a right age. He’s very experienced and managing Ireland would mean a lot to him personally.
“What he will bring is a presence and charisma to the job. Trapattoni was full of that but Martin is Martin, he’ll raise the decibel level in the place to concerted levels.”
Liam Brady
“My worry is that our best players are getting old and the ones coming in to replace them are nowhere near as good as they were, and that’s not Giovanni Trapattoni’s fault.
“I wouldn’t have any problem with Martin. I have my doubts he would take the job though.
“For potential managers, looking at the squad of players at their disposal and the expectation of the media and other factors in Ireland might put them off.”
Alan Stubbs, who played under him at Celtic
“[O’Neill is] a brilliant man in dealing with everything and sometimes when you’re a manager, there’s just a football element, but he had a human element too.”
Robbie Keane
“If it was Mick, Martin O’Neill, Roy Keane I don’t think you could go wrong with any of them. I am just going with what hearing those are the main three names mentioned and I don’t think you can go wrong with either of them to be honest. The names that have been mentioned, if any of them took over I think everybody would be fairly happy.”
Niall Quinn
“Martin could be a great Ireland manager, without a doubt. He would bring a passion and a positive frenzy to the job that could galvanise everyone to get behind the Ireland team again and it would be great to see.
“You see the impact he has when he first went to Sunderland it was extraordinary. Players who were at the depths of their career one minute were playing the best football of their lives the next and that is what O’Neill can do. Martin could do that with Ireland, of course he could.
Paul Lambert, who played under O’Neill at Celtic
“There’s no doubt he can do it standing on his head, no problem. He is a fantastic manager and good luck to him.”
Steve Staunton
“He’s got more experience than anybody out there so it wouldn’t be a bad shout.
“Who knows what the FAI have in mind, but Martin would be up there high on the list.
“I would like to see an Irishman get it or somebody who’s from these islands, who knows what the Irish boys are about and knows the mentality.”
What do you think?
He’s more focussed on external events rather than on the game! Hasn’t had a good season since 2013. Not that strange that no one wants him!
@John Paul: was actually not that terrible last year once he got going.
Clearly talented enough to be in the league, but GMs somewhat understandably don’t want distractions.
I’ve heard it from allot of US sports analysts. From ESPN, Fox Sports etc. Colin has been “Blackballed” by the NFL. It’s obvious to us who know what he can do. There are allot of teams who could use him but it does look like franchise have been told to stay clear. He embarrassed the NFL and he’s been punished for it.
With Geno and Fitzpatrick gone he’d be a good shout for the Jets.
Serves him right. Sports and politics don’t mix. Nothing stopping him holding a press conference outside of a game, just don’t protest within the stadium and he would have been fine.
To get his message across more strongly he did it during national anthems and he was right too