Former Ireland international Jason McAteer does not believe that Lee Carsley will take up the chance to manage the Irish national team.
Carsley has been one of the names to take over from former Ireland boss Stephen Kenny, and there have been reports that the FAI were set to land their key target in Carsley a number of weeks ago.
The Birmingham-born native qualified to play for Ireland through his grandmother, who came from Dunmanway, County Cork.
Carsley has since gone on to win 40 caps for Ireland and led the England U-21s to their first U21 European Championship win since 1984.
Since Stephen Kenny was removed from his role in November, the FAI stated that the goal was to have someone in place before the March double-header, where they will face Belgium on Saturday, March 23, and Switzerland on Tuesday, March 26.
Last week, betting was suspended on Carsley becoming the next Irish boss. However, it was then reported shortly after that Carsley was not so keen on the role. Another attempt had been allegedly made towards the England U-21's boss, but the Irish Daily Star reported that the former Irish midfielder told those close to him that his mind is made up and that he is not ready to take the job at this time.
McAteer, a former teammate of Carsley, does not believe that the Birmingham-born native will eventually take up the role with Ireland for now, but in the future, that could become a reality. The Liverpudlian has claimed that club management could be more enticing for Carsley at this moment.
"I don't think he's going to take it"@MCATEER4 knows Lee Carsley well and believes he is more likely to take a role in club football than the Republic of Ireland job...#beINSPORTS pic.twitter.com/zsOrbeYXQL
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) February 1, 2024
“His stock’s very high at the minute. You’re right, I played with him in Ireland; I’m very close to him; I do speak to him about things, and I never got the impression he always wanted the Ireland job; I don’t think it was ever on his radar, certainly not in the immediate future," he said on beIN Sports.
“He’s done a fantastic job with the (England) 21s; coming through a system, he’s won the European Championships with them.
“His stock is very high, and I think his ambition is to go more into club management, and maybe Ireland would be a future job.
“I know the FAI is desperate to get him in; I think it’s a completely different direction and probably a better direction than what they’d go with Stephen Kenny.
“I don’t think he’s going to take it right now.”
Ireland's next game will be the March double-header, where they will face Belgium on Saturday, March 23, and Switzerland on Tuesday, March 26.
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