News: Former Carlisle United manager Roddy Collins could be set for a return to football management.

He has expressed an interest in the vacant Athlone Town job and is also looking closely at the Waterford situation, a job in the North and one in Britain.

"I am actually waiting to hear about a few jobs that I have applied for but I certainly would not rule out taking the Athlone job," said Collins last week.

"I have a lot of respect for the people of Athlone and I have played for the club (in the early 1980s). It is a big club and my good friend Turlough O'Connor was involved with them at management level."

One of the game's characters, Collins has been unemployed since August, when he was sacked by Carlisle after the club lost their first four Division Three games of the season and crashed out of the League Cup against Walsall.

After several months in the football wilderness, however, he retains his appetite for the game.

"At the moment I want to get back into football but I'm not stuck for money so I won't rush into any job," he said.

"I've turned down one job already as I really want a challenge like I had when I went to Bohs and Carlisle United.

"I put in a lot of hard work with Carlisle that involved three relegation battles. So I wouldn't rule out taking up the Athlone Town job as I love a challenge. I want to be part of a club that are a challenge and are also ambitious.

"I want to go to a club that will win leagues and other trophies wherever it may be."

Collins has applied for several managerial positions since his departure from Carlisle.

"At the moment I am waiting to hear back from a club across the water and a club in the North," he said. "I am also keeping an eye on a few League of Ireland positions such as the Waterford situation."

Collins was the subject of the fly-on-the-wall documentary The Rod Squad on RTÉ television last summer but insists he would not want to get involved in another such programme.

"Since the programme I have been offered a number of television pieces but I'm a football man and I'm not involved in football for that sort of drama."

Interestingly, prior to his spell with Carlisle, the only job Collins ever applied for was with Athlone Town.

"I applied for the Athlone job before and I was talking to Michael Francis about it. I never even got a reply from the club and ended up getting the Bohs job two weeks later."

So does he hold any grudge against the backroom staff at St Mel's Park?

"I am not the sort of person that holds grudges against anybody because I think life is to short," he says.

"So I suppose when you ask me if I am interested in the Athlone job I would have to say 'yes' as I already applied for it a few years ago and am still waiting for a reply."