Leading FAI officials are to intensify efforts to install a successor to Brian Kerr early in the new year after agreeing to play Sweden at Lansdowne Road on March 1st. An appointment by that date isn't regarded as essential within Merrion Square, but it is accepted that having the new man in place in time for the team's first friendly of the new year is desirable, as it would give him a greater opportunity to familiarise himself with the Republic's pool of senior players ahead of the autumn's opening European Championships qualifying games.
The association have also pencilled in a date for the previously agreed game against the Netherlands. The match is effectively the pay-off in a deal that brought the Republic to Amsterdam just before the start of last year's European Championships. It was agreed then that a return game would take place in Dublin during 2006, and August 16th has now been agreed upon as the date, although that will change if the countries are obliged to play a qualifier that day or in the event the pair are drawn in the same group.
Both friendlies are potentially significant, as the Swedish one is likely to provide the Republic's new manager with his first opportunity to size up his squad and the Dutch one should be the last friendly game before the start of the autumn's serious business.
The quality of the opposition will provide a serious test for the Irish players. The Netherlands are ranked higher of the two visiting countries after a hugely impressive World Cup qualifying campaign and a good Euro 2004.
Sweden have also proved themselves by qualifying for Germany as one of the two best European group runners-up.
Since he took over last year, Marco van Basten has done a good deal to reshape a Dutch squad that is likely to be further altered as older players depart in the wake of the World Cup finals next summer.
Following a campaign in which the side won 10 and drew two of their qualifying games, and effectively secured first place with a 2-0 win over their chief rivals, the Czech Republic, in Prague, it's clear there are plenty of young players of real quality who have been standing by to replace the longer established stars.
Many are sure to become familiar names during next summer's tournament.
But several of those likely to be around for the Dublin game from the current squad include Robin van Persie, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Arjen Robben of Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea respectively.
The Swedes don't have as many major stars, although there are few bigger names in the European game just now than the country's hugely prolific striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The Juventus player was last week named as Sweden's player of the year after contributing eight of the national team's remarkable 30-goal tally in their recent qualifying campaign and scoring 16 times in 32 games for the Italian giants as they won last season's Serie A title.
Freddie Ljungberg, meanwhile, is among a string of other regulars who will be familiar to Irish fans.
The Swedes finished second behind Croatia during their recent qualifying campaign, but secured automatic passage to Germany thanks to a fine run of three wins in four games at the tail end of the programme. They lost in Croatia, but home wins over Iceland and Bulgaria as well as an away victory in Hungary proved good enough for the team, who reached the last eight of the European Championships in Portugal, to bypass the play-off round.
Details of ticket prices and availability for the games have yet to be announced, but it seems likely they will form part of a package that might include matches in April or June.
