Former Derry City manager Noel King has been appointed caretaker manager of the Republic of Ireland international football team.
Noel King.
The Dubliner, the Republic’s under-21 coach, has been put in temporary charge of the senior side with High Performance Director, Ruud Dokter as his assistant.
King’s appointment was made at a Football Association of Ireland (FAI) board of management meeting held last night to discuss the ongoing process of appointing a new manager to succeed the 74-year-old Italian who was sacked earlier this month.
In a statement issued last night, the FAI said the search for a permanent manager would include a “comprehensive assessment of the market.”
Former Republic international, Ray Houghton, who was involved in the managerial appointment of Trapattoni, and Ruud Dokter, its newly appointed High Performance Director, are to carry out the “ongoing assessment” and report their findings back to the board.
King, who led Derry City from the League of Ireland First Division to the Premiership in 1987, will now take charge of Ireland’s final two World Cup qualifiers against Germany and Kazakhstan next month.
Current under-21 assistant coach, Harry McCue. will take charge of the under-21 qualification matches against Romania, also taking place next month.
Former Glasgow Celtic, Sunderland and Aston Villa manager, Martin O’Neill – a former pupil of St Columb’s College in Derry, remains the favourite to get the job on a permanent basis.
The FAI said it would take the “appropriate time” to appoint the best person to manage Ireland for the 2016 European Championshps 2016 campaign which starts in September next year.
They also wished Noel King and Harry McCue well in their interim roles.
They said :Noel has an excellent track record with the Association and is well respected throughout the game. He has also worked first hand with many current senior players during their time at under-21 level including Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy, Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick.
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