Former Wales manager Chris Coleman has received an endorsement for a return to international management from ex-Ireland player Mark Lawrenson. Lawrenson supports the idea of Coleman becoming Stephen Kenny's long-term successor with Ireland.
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has been in search of a replacement for Kenny since his departure in November, with various names linked to the role. The latest contender is Coleman, who is 5/2 with one bookmaker and has been without a managerial position since leaving the Wales job in 2017. The 53-year-old notably led Wales to the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2016.
While there might be concerns about Coleman being out of the game for a period, Lawrenson views this as an advantage and believes it would be a positive appointment for Ireland.
"[On Chris Coleman potentially becoming the next Ireland manager] I don’t think Welsh allegiance is a problem; football has completely changed now. I don’t know what he’s been doing while he’s been out of the game, but I’m sure he’s come across it. He’s a kind of young manager, which is good, and there’s a lot of resemblance between Wales and where Ireland are at the moment, so I think it will be a good appointment."
🗣"There's no future for Stephen Kenny as manager...we're not progressing."
🗣"The time has come for change. I'd go for Chris Coleman."@nathanmurf has been speaking to Ireland fans in Faro.
⚽️ Off The Ball Football with @williamhillire pic.twitter.com/NRuMr7Uwip— Off The Ball (@offtheball) October 16, 2023
Reflecting on Kenny's tenure, Lawrenson acknowledges the positive aspect of promoting younger players but notes the difficulty of winning crucial games. He believes that Coleman taking over the reins could benefit Ireland because of the foundation laid by Kenny.
“In fairness to Stephen Kenny, he set up a lot of things behind the scenes. The problem was that he just couldn’t win the games that really mattered, but starting to look at the personnel now, they will be a good team in the next year or 18 months."
Lawrenson also sees the timing as convenient for Coleman, with no immediate tournament pressure allowing him time to understand and observe the players.
“This might be one where it’s a good time to take over—there's no pressure immediately because they aren’t in any tournaments, so he’ll have time to get to know them and watch them play for their clubs. There’s no outstanding candidate, but Chris Coleman—why not?"
Mark Lawrenson was speaking to Paddy Power
