Republic of Ireland may reportedly struggle to make the breakthrough with any approach for England Under-21s boss Lee Carsley.
On Sunday evening, Stephen Kenny witnessed his side let slip an early lead to succumb to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Netherlands in Dublin.
Following the 2-0 reverse in France three days earlier, the Boys in Green are now out of the picture to qualify for Euro 2024 via a top-two spot and are highly unlikely to earn a playoff place.
Although Republic of Ireland were drawn in an immensely tough group that also includes a resurgent Greece, pressure has been mounting on Kenny's position for some time.
Just 10 wins and 11 draws have been posted from 36 matches in all competitions, while eight defeats have come from the last 14 outings.
© Reuters
Widespread reports have indicated that the Football Association of Ireland will opt for a different approach, with former midfielder Carsley emerging as a realistic candidate.
Carsley made 40 appearances during an 11-year international career with Republic of Ireland between 1997 and 2008, and he has since established himself as one of the most highly-regarded coaches in British and Irish football.
Most recently, the 49-year-old guided England Under-21s to the European Championships, with his team lifting the trophy without conceding a single goal in the tournament that took place in the summer.
With a rolling one-year contract, the perception is that Carsley could be targeted to replace Kenny should the Irish FA decide on a change of direction.
© Reuters
However, according to The Independent, the English Football Association would look to block any move from their Irish counterparts over the coming months.
Although the assumption is that Carsley may take on a new challenge at some stage in his career, it appears that the FA will push to retain his services for the current Euro 2025 qualifying campaign.
England begun the defence of their recently-earned crown with a 3-0 victory over Luxembourg earlier this week ahead of fixtures against Serbia, Ukraine, Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, Republic of Ireland are next in action when they square off against Greece and Gibraltar within the space of three days in October during the next international break.
Darren Plant
