McGahan and Bradley the outstanding candidates

MUNSTER VACANCY:AS HISTORY has shown, the Munster hierarchy will move swiftly to replace the departing Declan Kidney; they have already begun a process of drawing up a shortlist.

This is likely to include the current defensive/backs coach Tony McGahan and Michael Bradley, with the likes of Niall O'Donovan, Brian Walsh, Mick Galwey and Eddie O'Sullivan other native coaches possibly throwing their hats into the ring.

A number of coaches, from at home and abroad, have already expressed an interest in one of the highest-profile coaching jobs in European rugby, thus ruling out the need to advertise the post.

Conceivably therefore, the likes of Alan Gaffney, Phil Davies and Gareth Jenkins might be interested, though a more credible overseas candidate, were he interested, would be Jake White.

The outstanding candidates would, however, appear to be McGahan and Bradley. With Munster now resigned to losing both their head coach and a forwards coach, given Jim Williams's impending return to Australia, promoting McGahan would forestall a complete clear-out while ensuring a degree of continuity with someone who is very highly regarded by the players.

Bradley, as a former Munster and Irish captain who has cut his teeth with Cork Constitution, the Ireland Under-21s, the Ireland As and Connacht, would have obvious credentials, and would probably be better received by the IRFU.

This would enable Connacht to promote Eric Elwood and thereby portray the IRFU's coaching ladder in a better light.

Outlining the preferred profile of the new head coach, Garrett Fitzgerald, the Munster CEO, said: "I think it will be important to recruit someone who has performed at this level previously if possible. That would be the ideal candidate."

Highlighting the need to have good management skills in managing up to 40 players and 20 management staff, he admitted, "That may make the short list quite short . . . there's not a huge list of candidates that fit into that category."

In referring to "this level", Fitzgerald stressed that the Magners League was as important as the Heineken Cup. "If you can get someone who has international experience, all the better."

Without putting a timeframe on the process, he admitted, "I think it's very important that it gets urgent attention, immediate attention, which it is getting."

As with Munster's last two appointments - ie, when choosing Alan Gaffney to replace Kidney in 2002 and when rehiring Kidney in 2005 - Munster's Provincial Team Management Committee will choose the new man. Chaired by Martin O'Sullivan, it also consists of Fitzgerald, Jerry Holland and Jim Riordan. Their nomination would be subject to authorisation by the IRFU but Fitzgerald added, "The IRFU have always been very supportive to date on recommendations made by ourselves and other provinces and I think the evidence supports that."

The new head coach will have an input into identifying who will fill the forwards vacancy.

Congratulating Kidney on an appointment that was a great honour for Kidney, the province and all those he'd worked with, Fitzgerald stressed their departing coach had two important assignments to fill, namely the Heineken Cup final and the chance to finish second in the Magners League.

Fitzgerald said, "Being honest, I didn't try and persuade him (to stay with Munster).

"I told him that I thought he should take the job but obviously I hoped otherwise."