Soccer/News:As FAI chief executive John Delaney put in time catching up on how the search for Steve Staunton's successor is progressing, and speculation mounted that long-time favourite Terry Venables might be appointed next week, David O'Leary and Steve Coppell yesterday made it clear they are not contenders for the job.

Even though he has had experience as a top-flight English manager with Leeds United and Aston Villa, O'Leary had always been considered a long shot for the job because of the poor personal relationships he is said to enjoy with some of the players and the association's administrators.

Still, he had been widely mentioned as a candidate, particularly immediately after Staunton's departure, and there had been suggestions that, after a long spell out of work, he was willing to consider a move into international management rather than continue to wait for another club to come knocking. Yesterday, though, the 49-year-old announced he had declined to be interviewed by the FAI's three-man recruitment panel.

"After much soul-searching and thought, I've declined the offer to be interviewed," he said, before suggesting it was more than just the chance to break bread with Don Howe, Don Givens and Ray Houghton that he was passing up.

"I want to return to full-time club management and therefore reluctantly have decided against the opportunity to manage my country at this point. It's a great honour and I'm very flattered to be considered," he remarked.

Coppell had already laughed off the suggestion he might leave Reading to take on the Ireland job, but there had been renewed speculation linking him to the race in the last few days, with some reports portraying him as the only thing standing between Venables and a swift appointment.

His latest denial was as jocular as the first, but it seemed cast-iron, too. The former England international joked about his Irish grandmother, his fondness for visiting here and, somewhat inevitably, his taste for Guinness, but ultimately he made it clear he has a contract at Reading and is not inclined to walk out on the club at this point.

"I have a contract here and I'm happy here," he said. "So I wouldn't even contemplate it. I'm only aware of it from the newspapers."

Asked he if had been pleased to have been linked with the vacancy, he seemed under-whelmed.

"I'm not bothered either way, to be honest," he remarked. "It doesn't rock my boat, if you know what I mean. If I was out of work then I would be bothered. But I've got a contract, I'm here, so it's way outside the possibilities."

Pressed about whether there had been any contact, he insisted he had not been interviewed and that the only time he had spoken to any of the recruitment panel had been when Givens had been at Reading for a week as part of his Pro License course.

"So I have had contact with Don Givens," he said, "but only in so far as we had a cup of tea."

It remains unclear, meanwhile, whether the three-man committee can come up with a recommendation for the FAI's board by next Tuesday. Little has happened to suggest Venables is no longer favourite, although sources have suggested his meeting with the panel did not go as well as it might have. The latest in a long line of publicity-seeking updates from the bookmakers last night claimed heavy backing for Gerard Houllier.

A string of prominent managers have also been mentioned as serious rivals, with Glenn Hoddle among those rumoured to have impressed when interviewed.

Givens also confirmed on Tuesday that meetings with a number of candidates had still not been lined up. He doubted whether the various loose ends could be wrapped up by the start of next week and hinted he would probably end up selecting the squad for the Brazil game.

Some of the FAI board, however, believe the process could yet be wrapped up on Tuesday, and the new man would likely be unveiled within the week.