'It's not looking good' for Staunton

Soccer/ International news:As the FAI's board of management prepare to meet to decide Steve Staunton's fate, Kevin Doyle yesterday described the manager's job as "impossible" but conceded that things do "not look great" for the Louthman, under whom the Reading striker has made all of his senior international appearances.

"I don't know what is happening to be honest," Doyle said. "From what I hear it doesn't look good but we will just have to wait and see. Because I have been in England I have not seen the papers in Ireland, but I have been told that there is a meeting with the FAI this week and we will see what comes of that. I know he is determined to see it out and stick it through until the World Cup campaign."

Doyle admitted the current campaign had been disappointing but insisted that Staunton's ability to progress things has been limited by the severely restricted amount of time he gets to work with the squad.

"Yeah, the results should have been better," he said. "We have done well against the bigger teams, but struggled against teams that are below us that we should beat. It wasn't good enough against Cyprus, we know that. And there were a few other games in the group where we let ourselves down. But in the bigger games we seem to do well and I don't know what the problem is

"It's an impossible job, though, I only get to see him once every six weeks and what can you do with your players in the three or four days that he sees us. We don't really get a chance to bond with the manager or get used to him because we're only there for such a short time. He doesn't get the chance to work with us the way a club manager does so it's not the same experience as with your club manager.

"It has been like this for a few years with Ireland, though," he continued. "It is not the first time we have not qualified; we did not qualify for last competition either. There are a lot of young players in the squad and we need to get ourselves back and confident for the next World Cup campaign."

Asked if he believes Staunton will still be in charge for that campaign, he said: "He has a contract for another two years and I am sure he wants to see that through. Looking at what is coming out it does not look great, but we will just have to wait and see."

Staunton declined to comment on the current situation last night but it is understood that he has privately conceded to members of his backroom staff that his tenure is about to come to an end.

Quite how quickly it will be ended is still a matter for speculation but the board meeting expected to take place today looks likely to authorise the opening of talks with Staunton's adviser, Michael Kennedy, over severance terms.

There appears to be some sympathy amongst the men who will debate Staunton's position. There is an awareness too, however, of the strength of the public's reaction to last week's performance against Cyprus and no firm suggestion that anybody is prepared to fight his corner. With chief executive John Delaney having effectively signalled the withdrawal of his support for the manager last week it is hard, therefore, to see how he could survive.

If, as expected, his departure is sealed, then the timing will cause the FAI a practical difficulty in terms of who takes charge for the game in Cardiff. Given the personal relationships involved, it is difficult to imagine any of Staunton's backroom staff still being in place - something that will also cast a doubt over the preparations for the B team game the following week - and aside from Packie Bonner there are not many obvious candidates on the association's staff.

Don Givens stepped in for the friendly game in Greece prior to Brian Kerr's appointment nearly five years ago but the under-21s have a competitive game against Montenegro the night before and that is likely to remain his priority. The fact, though, that there are points at stake and that Ireland's seeding for the future will be affected by the outcome means the issue will need urgent attention if Staunton has indeed departed.

The association, meanwhile, described as "good and constructive" its meeting with Fifa yesterday in relation to the eligibility of players born in the North to play for the Republic. A four-strong delegation from Merrion Square came away from Zurich with a commitment that there will be no retrospective changes to the current position. The status of Darron Gibson has, therefore, been resolved.

Beyond that, it remains to be seen what attitude Fifa's legal people will take to the IFA's claim that the terms of the political settlement in Northern Ireland altered the situation. "We need some time to review all of the information that has been presented at these meetings," said a spokesman for Fifa yesterday.

The IFA has been pressing hard for a change to the rules but the FAI insists that the status quo, which has facilitated the defection of a number of players down the years, should be maintained.

Bolton talk to Souness

Graeme Souness has emerged as a leading contender to succeed Sammy Lee as manager of Bolton Wanderers and is understood to have discussed the vacancy with the club's chairman, Phil Gartside.

Gartside is also believed to be drawn to the idea of attracting Gary Megson from Leicester City and also retains an interest in Real Sociedad's Chris Coleman.