Sanchez in Northern Ireland Deja-vu

Lawrie Sanchez is among the contenders to have been offered interviews for the vacant Northern Ireland job.

Former manager Sanchez is set to be interviewed for the role next week, along with the other candidates Jim Magilton, Michael O'Neill, Iain Dowie, Dave Jones and Gerry Armstrong.

Sanchez had a successful spell as Northern Ireland boss from 2004 to 2007 before leaving to take over at Fulham.

He is currently in charge of League Two side Barnet.

Sanchez took Northern Ireland from 124th in the world rankings to an all-time high of 27th during his reign but then quit the role in May 2007 just as his team appeared on the brink of qualification for Euro 2008.

Nigel Worthington was unable to guide the Northern Irish to the finals and Sanchez went on to criticise his successor's efforts on a number of occasions.

The ex-Wimbledon striker made a very public intervention against Worthington in September when he claimed that the "writing was on the wall" for the then Northern Ireland manager after the 4-1 Euro qualifier defeat by Estonia.

Those comments received widespread criticism and there were suggestions that they might hinder Sanchez's prospects of ever returning to the Northern Ireland role.

However, he remains popular with sections of the country's support and will be interviewed next week.

His main rivals for the job appear to be former Ipswich manager Magilton, who won 52 caps for Northern Ireland, Shamrock Rovers boss Michael O'Neill, a 33-cap veteran, and Iain Dowie, who has managed six English clubs after playing 59 times for the country.

Dave Jones, who has managerial experience with Stockport, Southampton, Wolves and Cardiff City, will also be interviewed, as will former assistant manager Gerry Armstrong.

On Thursday, Swansea City's Brendan Rodgers said he rejected an approach to take the job on a part-time basis.

LAWRIE SANCHEZ AND NORTHERN IRELAND

Sanchez took the Northern Ireland job in January 2004

Guided the team to competitive wins over England, Spain and Sweden during his reign

Quit job in May 2007 to take over at Premier League club Fulham

A critic of the efforts of previous manager Nigel Worthington

Armstrong Believes IFA Need Anthem

Gerry Armstrong believes the Irish FA should consider whether finding a new national anthem to replace God Save the Queen would encourage more nationalists to play for Northern Ireland.

Armstrong, capped 63 times, is the Irish FA's elite player mentor and says the issue has cropped up in recent conversations with prospective players.

"It is an issue which is sensitive to a lot of nationalist lads," he added.

A number of Northern Ireland-born players have declared for the Republic.

Part of Armstrong's brief in his IFA mentor role is to attempt to convince Northern Ireland-born players from the nationalist community not to switch their international allegiance.

"It (the anthem) was an issue that was brought up on several occasions and it's something that I am aware of," continued Northern Ireland legend Armstrong.

"It might have been a reason, maybe, why some of them didn't want to play for Northern Ireland.

"I do think it's something that needs to be talked about. Where it goes, I just don't know."

Armstrong has held informal discussions with Snow Patrol songwriter and Northern Ireland fan Gary Lightbody about the anthem issue.

"I know Gary Lightbody and it was a possible way out in terms of what we could do.

"We looked at the Scottish solutions and the Welsh situations where they have their own national anthems."

Armstrong, who comes from a nationalist background, acknowledged that the playing of God Save the Queen was "never" an issue for him during his Northern Ireland career.

"Or for a lot of other players and I don't see why it should be a major issue now.

"(But) It is an issue that has been raised by some - not by all."

O'Neill Not Seeking Northern Post

Martin O'Neill gave the Irish FA this week the one-word answer they didn’t want to hear — “no.”

The former Northern Ireland captain flew into Belfast yesterday, prompting speculation that he might reconsider an offer to succeed Nigel Worthington as international manager.

But all the IFA got from the 59-year-old was an offer of help in their search to appoint a new man.

O’Neill only had to say the word, of course, and the job was his. Instead, he suggested that the Association goes for “somebody young and enthusiastic.”

Should the IFA follow that advice, then Martin’s namesake Michael O’Neill and Jim Magilton, both relatively youthful in managerial terms, will be top of their list.

The Association will begin talking to prospective candidates next week and so far Michael O’Neill, Magilton, Iain Dowie, Avram Grant and Dave Jones have declared an interest.

Speaking at yesterday’s CLIC Sargent Sportsman lunch for children and young people with cancer, Martin O’Neill said: “The Northern Ireland job would be terrific but at this minute club management is something that I've been used to for quite some considerable time.

“And from that viewpoint, it (club management) is something I would want to do at this moment.”

The former Celtic and Aston Villa boss, who would be a hot favourite for the Blackburn Rovers job should the under-pressure Steve Kean be dismissed, added: “If the IFA thought I could help their search for a new man I’d be happy to assist.”

It’s understood that the IFA would welcome Martin O’Neill’s input, and are planning to contact him about reviewing candidates.

O'Neill himself is hoping that the three former Northern Ireland internationals at least get the chance to be interviewed to succeed Nigel Worthington.

“I still think myself that somebody young and enthusiastic and with a bit of managerial experience could pull the team around,” he added.

“It would be disappointing if they (Magilton, Dowie and Michael O'Neill) didn't at least get a chance to be interviewed for the job.”

Grant and Jones, like Magilton and Dowie, are currently without a club although Magilton helps out Michael O’Neill as a consultant at Shamrock Rovers.

Israeli Grant’s recent track record is not particularly good. His last game as a manager was at the end of last season, when he witnessed West Ham United get relegated from the Premier League.

A year earlier, Portsmouth suffered the same fate under his stewardship.

Grant does, however have experience at international level, having managed Israel to two unsuccessful qualifying campaigns prior to his arrival in English football.

The 56-year-old has, however, led Chelsea to the Champions League final (in 2008, when they lost on penalties to Manchester United), and to runners-up spot in the Premier League.

No other candidate can boast of taking a team to such lofty heights — although Grant’s critics will say the team, which had been largely built by predecessor Jose Mourinho, should have won at least one trophy that season.

They did, remember, also lose the League Cup final to Spurs.

Jones, meanwhile, took Cardiff to an FA Cup final but it was always a case of ‘so near, but yet to far’ when it came to promotion to the Premier League.

He was sacked at the end of last season, after another failure to get past the play-offs.

The Irish FA have not outlined any timetable for an appointment and are unlikely to unveil their new international manager this side of Christmas.

Grant Looking to Northern Ireland Post

Former Chelsea and West Ham boss Avram Grant and ex-Cardiff City manager Dave Jones have emerged as contenders for the vacant Northern Ireland job.

Grant told BBC Sport NI on Thursday that he would be interested in succeeding Nigel Worthington, who stood down in October.

The Israeli's agent has been in touch with the Irish Football Association.

Englishman Jones has been in contact with the IFA and is considering applying for the job.

Previously, three former Northern Ireland players - Iain Dowie, Jim Magilton and Michael O'Neill - had been considered the main candidates.

Dowie has had spells in charge of Oldham Athletic, Crystal Palace, Charlton Athletic, Coventry City, Queens Park Rangers and Hull City.

Magilton is a former boss of Ipswich Town and QPR and is currently assistant to O'Neill at Shamrock Rovers.

Dave Jones spent six years in charge at Cardiff City

Grant succeeded Jose Mourinho as Chelsea boss in September 2007, but was dismissed after they lost the Champions League final on penalties to Manchester United.

He became Portsmouth manager in November 2009 and, despite Pompey's financial plight, they reached the FA Cup final but were relegated from the Premier League.

Grant took over from Gianfranco Zola at West Ham in June 2010 but was dismissed the following May when the Hammers were relegated.

He also spent four years in charge of Israel, who have been drawn in Northern Ireland's World Cup 2012 qualification group.

Jones led Wolves into the Premier League in 2003 via the Championship play-offs and took Cardiff to the FA Cup final in 2008.

He also guided the Welsh club to the 2010 and 2011 play-off finals but lost on both occasions.

It is believed the IFA will begin speaking to potential candidates next week.