Three former Celts are high in the running to replace Martin O’Neill as manager of the Republic of Ireland.
On Wednesday morning word emerged that O’Neill and Roy Keane had left their posts by mutual consent, ending five years in charge of the Irish national team.
As a club manager the former Celtic, Leicester City and Aston Villa manager had talked of a five year shelf-life in management.
These days four years seems a reasonable stint, had O’Neill quit after losing out to Denmark in a World Cup qualifier he would have left a decent legacy and something for his successor to aspire to.
Into the reckoning as his replacement comes hot favourite Mick McCarthy, a potential manager, assistant or u-21 coach in Robbie Keane and from left field Neil Lennon.
McCarthy has had the job before, taking Ireland to the 2002 World Cup where they got out of their group only to lose out on penalties to Spain.
Keane was part of that squad, going on to provide more than a decade of service to the national side picking up 146 caps that yielded 68 goals.
For Lennon it must be an interesting proposition. The EPL is basically out of bounds for UK based bosses, his time at Bolton whatever the circumstances won’t have Championship clubs rushing for his services.
As he notes the relaxed lifestyle that Edinburgh based Michael O’Neill enjoys as the manager of Northern Ireland there must be curiosity or even envy about the international gig.
How much further he can take Hibs is hard to tell, how much longer he can put up with the racism he suffers from every day in Scotland is harder to gauge.
With international football taking a break until March there is no pressing need for Ireland to come up with a new boss but with pressure mounting on chief executive John Delaney appointing any of the three candidates above would provide a timely deflection.
Steve Bruce and Sam Allardyce might interest the bookies but their O’Neill type style isn’t going to tempt punters back to the emptying rows of the Aviva Stadium.