If not Terry then WHO?????

Roy Hodgson and Gerrard Houllier are both interested in the Irish national team job. Both have contacted the FAI over the past few days and Houllier appears to be 2nd favourite behind Terry Venables.

Hodgson should not be dismissed as he has a huge amount of managerial experience around Europe with both club sides and International teams. he guided the Swiss national team to USA 94 and Euro 96. Before that Switzerland didn't qualify for a major tournament since the 1960s. he was manager of Malmö FF, Internazionale, Blackburn Rovers, Grasshoppers F.C. Copenhagen and Udinese.

Hodgson has served several times as a member of UEFA's technical study group at the European Championships and he is also a member of the FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) at the 2006 World Cup.

Houllier was manager of a Liverpool team that won the cup treble and is still loved by everyone at Anfield but near the end of his time he seemed to lose the team and often his style of play was scathed. He went on to manage an already built Lyon and did well but resigned at the end of last season.

Seven managers are in the running David O'Leary, Graham Souness, George Graham and Glenn Hoddle, Venables, Houllier and Hodgson are all candidates.