Mick McCarthy has done a decent job with Ireland. While the football has not exactly been inspiring, it is certainly an upgrade on the previous regime.
Most importantly the results have been good. Ireland have won the games they would have been expected to, with draws against Denmark and Switzerland putting them in a strong position in the group.
McCarthy is here for the short term with his only goal to get us to the Euros. He's making a good go of it thus far. Considering he will be out of a job next summer, he may already be considering his options going forward.
Laurie Whitwell, a journalist for The Athletic, reported earlier today that Stoke City are interested in bringing McCarthy on board.
They may even make their move for him before the season is out, with current boss Nathan Jones under severe pressure having claimed only two points from their opening ten games. However, Whitwell believes that McCarthy has no interest in leaving his role with Ireland before next summer.
Understand Mick McCarthy would be prime candidate for Stoke if Nathan Jones goes. But McCarthy has no intentions of leaving Republic of Ireland before Euro 2020 @TheAthleticUK #scfc
— Laurie Whitwell (@lauriewhitwell) October 4, 2019
Should Ireland qualify for that tournament, the former Ipswich boss may well have his eyes set on a job higher up the footballing ladder. Stoke certainly are not an attractive proposition at the minute and look likely to find themselves in League One next season.
You may remember that they attempted to poach Martin O'Neill during his time with Ireland, a move he very nearly made. We probably would have been better off if he did.
A run to Euro 2020 would make McCarthy an attractive prospect for many Championship clubs, especially considering his track record in that division.
Of course, this will all be very much at the back of his mind during the coming months. Ireland will play two vital qualifiers against Georgia and Switzerland this month, with a pair of positive results likely to put them well on their way to qualification.
