Oldham boss Iain Dowie is the early favourite to succeed McIlroy

Northern Ireland's international team is at the lowest ebb in the country's history with a current world ranking of 111.

The team have failed to score a goal in 13 games and are without a win in 14 matches.

Many fans would love former Northern Ireland hero Martin O'Neill to take the job but the chances of the Kilrea man departing Celtic Park to replace McIlroy are nil.

McIlroy quits NI job

For a start, O'Neill earns considerable more at Celtic than the �90,000 which McIlroy picked up for the Northern Ireland job.

But a more salient point is that O'Neill's managerial career is on a steadily upward curve and if he and when he does quit the Old Firm club, it will be for one of the bigger jobs in the English Premiership.

The Irish FA will have to look towards other former Northern Ireland players.

Norwich manager Nigel Worthington will be mentioned in dispatches but he seems unlikely to be attracted by the job.

Dunfermline boss Jimmy Nicholl will inevitably be advanced in some quarters

In any case, Worthington's relations with the IFA have not been the best in recent times with Norwich having pulled Philip Mulryne and Paul McVeigh out of several internationals over the last two years.

A more likely candidate is Oldham boss Iain Dowie who has a great passion for the Northern Ireland cause.

With Dowie caught up in Oldham's well-publicised financial troubles in recent months, he may be tempted by the Northern Ireland job.

In managerial terms, he is inexperienced but his initial foray into club management has proved reasonably successful.

Dunfermline assistant Jimmy Nicholl will inevitably be advanced in some quarters although it remains to be seen whether he would be interested after being overlooked for the job in 1994.

Back then, Nicholl seemed certain to be named as Billy Bingham's successor but his terms proved too much for the IFA and at the last minute, they plumped for Bryan Hamilton.

Shrewsbury boss Jimmy Quinn, another Northern Ireland favourite, will get an interview for the job if he expresses any interest while former international defender Alan McDonald could also come into consideration.