Next Ireland manager: Carlos Queiroz wants to succeed Martin O'Neill

The former Manchester United assistant has already announced he will leave his role with Iran following January's Asian Cup, after a highly successful eight years in the job

Carlos Queiroz is keen on the newly vacant Irish job, sources close to the Portuguese coach have told The Independent.

The former Manchester United assistant has already announced he will leave his role with Iran following January's Asian Cup, after a highly successful eight years in the job. Queiroz guided the country to successive World Cups in 2014 and 2018, putting in highly respectable displays, to go with previous qualifications with Portugal in 2010 and South Africa in 2002.

The 65-year-old has also been praised for helping rebuild Iranian football, and is admired in the game for his work with Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford in two different spells that brought several league titles and a Champions League.

The Irish job has become newly available after the FAI parted ways with Martin O'Neill and assistant Roy Keane on Wednesday afternoon, and those close to Queiroz say he would be keen on the role.

O'Neill is actually understood to have been earning more than Queiroz did in Iran, with the Irishman having been on a reported £2m a year compared to the Portuguese's £1.9m.

It is however seen as unlikely the FAI would pay quite so much to O'Neill's successor - especially now without the financial backing of businessman Denis O'Brien, who has helped fund the wages of the Irish manager since 2008 - but Quieroz is now looking for a next project and would be interested in speaking to the Irish body.