Known as the "White Witch Doctor" after a string of successes at both club and international level in Africa, he revealed on Monday he had been approached by the FAI to take over from Mick McCarthy as Republic of Ireland manager.

Should he get the job, it will be the sixth national side he has managed.

The 47-year-old first came to people's attentions when he led Ivory Coast club Asec Abidjan.

From there the Frenchman took up a role in charge of the Ivory Coast national side and also had spells in charge of Nigeria, Burkina Faso, South Africa and Japan.

His first major role came when he coaxed the Nigerians to the 1998 World Cup finals before managing Burkina Faso to a surprise fourth place in the African Nations Cup.

He led South Africa to their first World Cup, before making his second visit to the tournament this year with co-hosts Japan.

Troussier enjoyed a four-year reign with the Japanese, who showed moments of brilliance during the tournament, before losing to eventual semi-finalists Turkey in the second round.

He had also enjoyed unprecedented success with the Asian side prior to the World Cup.

The bespectacled Frenchman led them to fifth place at the Sydney Olympics, victory at the 2000 Asian Championships and the runners-up spot to Brazil in last year's Confederations Cup.

Since stepping down from the post, he has been linked with the vacant managers' posts in China and Algeria.

But for all his managerial success, Troussier's career has been riddled with controversy, most recently during some very public spats with the Japanese Football Association.