The FAI's first step in hiring a replacement for Mick McCarthy is likely to involve identifying a prominent manager or former player who can act as a consultant to the organisation over the next couple of months, according to the association's general secretary, Brendan Menton.

"None of us claim to be experts in this area," said Menton last night, "and if we are going to even consider candidates for the job from around the continental game then we need to acquire the help of somebody with proven expertise in that field."

The hope is that whoever is recruited to offer the association advice will either help to identify a candidate who might be headhunted or else contribute to the process of weighing up applicants and sitting on an interview panel.

"Both roads have their advantages," he said. "If you headhunt somebody then there is the chance you will get someone who mightn't have applied for the job, whereas if you advertise then you might end up getting expressions of interest from people you might never have thought of approaching. It's early days yet and all of the various options will have to be discussed within the association before we make a final decision on how to move forward."

Menton insisted that there was absolutely no truth in any of the reports to date linking various individuals with the job. He said that at this stage nothing had been "ruled in or out", but that the organisation hopes to have a clearer picture of how it is going to proceed by the middle of next week.

While there have been a number of indications over the past couple of days that Roy Keane, who is in Cork today promoting his book, will make himself available to the new manager, Menton insisted the issue of the midfielder will be left to the new coach and player to sort out.

Meanwhile, sources in Britain have said that Keane, at 31 and with a history of serious injury, is concerned he may not be able to cope with the combined rigours of club and international football, and that despite an emotional pull to the Republic, his first loyalty would be to his club.