“I probably won’t, but I’ve got no option, have I?”
Mick McCarthy was unveiled as the Republic of Ireland’s new manager on Sunday in Dublin. McCarthy will be joined in the job by his long-time assistant Terry Connor and Robbie Keane will be on his coaching staff.
The 59-year-old former Ipswich Town coach was at the Aviva Stadium to speak to the media after being officially announced earlier in the day.
McCarthy succeeds Martin O’Neill, who left his post earlier this week after five years in charge.
First, he spoke of his pride at returning to the post he held between 1996 and 2002 and how he had no intention of turning down the FAI’s offer.
“We’ll see, won’t we, if it’s a good decision to come back if, when and how we qualify for the Euros and I am successful or not,” he said.
“I was never going to turn down the chance to take the job. It’s been mooted on a number of occasions, every time a new manager is about to be selected, I always tend to have a few more Irish journalists at the press conference.
“My answer to that was always, ‘If I’m out of work or if the job comes up, of course’. We’ll see whether it’s a good decision in two years’ time, but I’m looking forward to it.”
The former Ireland captain has signed a deal that will run until the end of the Euro 2020 campaign, at which point he will be succeeded by Stephen Kenny. The Dundalk manager was a popular choice to replace O’Neill.
He will instead become the new Ireland under-21 manager and succeed McCarthy in 2020. McCarthy was asked for his thoughts on knowing that he will have less than two years in the job, a position he has coveted for several years.
The former Sunderland coach appears to be relaxed about the arrangement.
“It was explained when I took it by John and Ruud,” he said.
“It’s two years to qualify for the European Championships. If you do really well and get to the final and win it, and you want me to stay, there might be a push for me to stay. There might be a job in the Premier League as well and they’ll want me there. If we don’t do well and we don’t qualify, you won’t want me anyway. So it kind of fits for me. It works.”
McCarthy admitted that he doesn’t know Kenny well, but the pair plan to meet up later on Sunday evening. He was then asked if he will want to give up the Ireland job when the time comes to step down in 2020.
“I probably won’t (want to give up the job) but I’ve got no option, have I?” he said.
“That’s two years down the line. Do you know how long the average tenure of a Championship manager is? 11 months. I’ve been given 24.
“What about Stephen Kenny? I’m so surprised, no disrespect to Dundalk, but what if he comes in and rips it up with the under-21s and some club from England comes and says, ‘we fancy you Stephen, come manage us?’
“It’s two years’ time. We don’t know what will happen. But you’re right, it might be that feeling if we qualify and do well in the Euros. But I’ve accepted it and that’s the way it’s going to be.
“If we do there might be something else for me. I might go and get a big job in China and retire on 10 million a year.”
You can watch McCarthy speak here:
How will Mick McCarthy feel if he does well and then he has to stand aside for Stephen Kenny in 2020? @corktod asked the question. Mick may head for China….. #rtesoccer pic.twitter.com/5tz4rzxPIX
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) November 25, 2018
