By John Haughey BBC Sport Online

One has to feel a tinge of sympathy for the Football Association of Ireland in its search for a new international team manager.

After the shambolic episode that was Saipan and its bitter aftermath, being all modern and appointing Bryan Hamilton as a managerial advisor must have seemed like a good idea.

The scathing appraisal of the Genesis report meant that accountability and business acumen had to be the twin pillars of the re-born FAI.

But as so often in FAI history, the process of finding a successor to Mick McCarthy has turned into something of a farce.

The public and media alike have become frustrated by a process which should have been concluded long before Christmas.

Journalists have been pressurised into coming out with ever-more outlandish 'exclusives'

A governing body at ease with itself and perhaps more importantly with enough people of ability, would have been able to conclude this business quickly.

It would have earmarked the man it wanted and the terms and conditions would have been handled with the miniumum of fuss - and more importantly time.

The FAI may congratulate itself for the dearth of major leaks during a seemingly, never ending process.

But in truth, that's nothing to shout about and you could argue that it's been counter-productive.

The lack of information available to the media has meant that harassed sport journalists have been pressurised into coming out with ever-more outlandish 'exclusives'.

Brian Kerr: Deserves a chance

The best 'scoop' so far was the claim that Bryan Robson, if appointed, would install Roy Keane as his assistant.

I'll spare the blushes of the paper concerned by not mentioning it by name.

Eamon Dunphy was in typically forthright mood over the weekend when he claimed that Irish football had "become a laughing stock because of the mishandling" of the managerial search.

Dunphy, whose most recent literary endeavour was ghost-writing Roy Keane's biography, is never afraid to court controversy but in this instance, he had a point.

Depending on who you believe, Bryan Robson, Brian Kerr, John Aldridge, Philippe Troussier, Kevin Moran, Peter Reid and Kenny Dalglish are still in the race.

Over the past few weeks, all have been predicted as the next boss in newspaper reports accompanied by the obligatory 'exclusive' tag.

But the truth is, that the hacks are no wiser than the man in the street as to who the new man is going to be.

Troussier does have a reputation for being a tad eccentric

FAI president Milo Corcoran, treasurer John Delaney and acting general-secretary Kevin Fahey are the men who will decide on the new boss after taking soundings from Hamilton.

The trio have given nothing away as to their thoughts and the fact that three very different characters are involved, means all kinds of wheeling and dealing could enter the equation.

As for my thoughts, I would give the job to FAI director of Football Kerr inspite of his low profile outside Ireland.

His record with Irish underage teams has been nothing short of astonishing.

Interviews in England?

And with qualification for Euro 2004 already a long-shot, the FAI would not be taking a major gamble in giving the Dubliner a two-year deal until the end of the current campaign.

Dalglish and Troussier are the only of the other mooted candidates to inspire confidence although the Frenchman does have a reputation for eccentricity.

We're told that the interviews will take place possibly in England this week with the appointment following before the end of the month.

For the good health of Irish football and journalists with high blood pressure, the announcement can't come soon enough.