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Houghton says the candidates won't be named. INPHO/Donall Farmer

Dynamic duo step up their search for new Ireland boss

Ray Houghton and Ruud Dokter are planning to interview candidates to find Trap’s replacement.

WHILE NOEL KING held his first press conference as Ireland’s caretaker manager yesterday, two men are currently busy working on finding a new permanent boss.

Former international Ray Houghton and FAI High Performance Director Ruud Dokter have been tasked with leading the search for Giovanni Trapattoni’s replacement with chief executive John Delaney insisting there is no rush to find the right man.

King takes charge for the final two World Cup qualifiers against Germany and Kazakhstan later this month and took the opportunity to bring the likes of Andy Reid and Darron Gibson back into the fold with yesterday’s squad announcement.

Houghton, meanwhile, gave an update on the how the pair are getting on.

“We’ll have to do our due diligence because there’s a very important decision to be made,” Houghton told Joe Molloy on Off The Ball’s Football Show.

“Unfortunately the previous manager has gone so we’re now looking for a new one and we have to look at the applicants that come in and take the international team forward.”

It is the FAI’s policy to keep the identity of candidates secret and generally stay tight-lipped during the interview process and Houghton added:

“As far as giving any names out, we wouldn’t do that. We didn’t do it on the last occasion because it wouldn’t be fair on the managers who have put their names forward.

They don’t want their names to understand that and you’ve got to respect that. They have done it in private and it’s between themselves and Ruudy himself to sit down.

“We’ll meet people and talk to them, put our thoughts together and put it to the FAI.”

To listen to the full Off The Ball interview, click here

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6 Comments
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    Mute Kevin
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    Oct 1st 2013, 12:44 PM

    Wasn’t Houghton one of the people who originally suggested Trap to the FAI?
    And while he was a great player for Ireland, what experience of International (or any) management has he got that suggests he’s qualified enough to choose the next manager also?

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    Mute Ruairi Clarke
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    Oct 1st 2013, 2:15 PM

    Think he was a consultant on Football Manager one year. He did the training session presets. Still a legend.

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    Mute Darren
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    Oct 1st 2013, 12:33 PM

    Not sure why houghton is on this panel the man talks absolute garbage!! O’neill is his number one clearly from his previous talk,

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    Mute Big Pat
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    Oct 1st 2013, 2:16 PM

    Day one of Houghton’s and Dokters extensive search.

    Studies of Wikipedia pages and Googling Martin O’Neill’s name has indicated to the FAI that, yes, he is indeed between jobs.

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    Mute Ciara Richmond
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    Oct 1st 2013, 5:33 PM

    Martin o’neill is going to take the Fulham job when it becomes available later this week . That’s why the lads have been sent out to find someone else as replacement …..

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    Mute sean o hannrachain
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 12:28 PM

    I can’t see why Ray Houghton is part if this process. He was a good player for Ireland but he’s completely out of touch with modern football. It smacks of Delaney picking an Irish legend to appease the fans in a naive ploy for credibility. I’d rather someone who knew what they were doing although I doubt that will happen with Delaney in charge

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