In the Guardian this morning. He said he's going to leave in 2004 regardless of how qualification goes. Wonder if the FAI will start the replacement search now or leave it until the 11th hour despite the two years notice period?! Answers on a postcard......
McCarthy to quit in 2004 I think he'll leave before then. Mick McCarthy has revealed that he will quit as Republic of Ireland manager in 2004. McCarthy had to endure a traumatic World Cup because of the Roy Keane affair. And criticism of him has intensified in the wake of the Republic's 4-2 defeat in Russia - their opening Euro 2004 qualifier. McCarthy, who is preparing for Wednesday's qualifier against Switzerland in Dublin, also admits he misses the day-to-day involvement with players. He was linked with the Sunderland job before Howard Wilkinson was appointed and admits he would "like to" manage in the Premiership. McCarthy told The Guardian: "I'd like to qualify for the European Championship and then I will have done eight years in the job and I think that's more than enough. "I will go away from it, whatever happens. Even if we qualify I will go and look for a job." McCarthy admits he "considered" walking away from the job in the summer after the World Cup finals where Ireland's achievements in Japan were overshadowed by the row over Keane being sent home. But he added: "Then I considered qualifying for the European Championship and I thought, with the team we've got and the way we've played, why should I walk away? "I think I might have been walking away to suit other people, not to suit me. I love doing this job and to qualify for Portugal in 2004 was my ambition."
He's just trying to relieve the pressure on himself. Now that he has stated he will leave after Euro 2004 the suits at the FAI will think "sure he's going in two years anyway, why rock the boat now?" This way no-one can accuse them of firing McCarthy just to get Roy Keane back in the side and whatever way qualification goes they come up smelling of roses. If the team qualify, they'll be vindicated in keeping McCarthy, if not he'll be going anyway.
I wish him the best of luck ... I have alot of respect for Mick McCarthy and wish him the best of luck in whatever he does; that is unless his team is playing a Concacaf side. He did what he as a coach had to do. If one breaks under the pressure of the media and the powers that be, why even coach.
He wants to be a premiership manager but since it's two years away it's near impossible to predict what jobs will be open and if we don't qualify he'll struggle to get one as his reputation has peaked as Ireland manager now, maybe for his sake staying on will cost himself dearly?
This is not news. I remember him saying that he was going after '04 when he came back from the WC. He also said something along these lines before the WC. Anyone who has been following the Irish team closely knows that the final game Ireland played in the '04 Championships, be it qualifiers or finals, was going to be his last game in charge. Also, many commentators have wondered if Keane (the wanker, that is) would be available/still interested to play for Ireland after '04, given his age and so forth. Keane himself even said that this was a possibility. McCarthy's plans were well known. Suddenly all this is news again?
Same thing with the "drinking spree until 5am" story that got recycled to sensationalise the serialisation of Quinn's book. Whatever.