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Gus Poyet has told FourFourTwo that he’s had no contact with the Republic of Ireland over their managerial vacancy – despite being linked with the job over the past month.
Poyet is currently manager of Greece but his contract is due to expire after March’s Euro 2024 play-offs and it remains unconfirmed whether he will stay in the job, even if he guides them to the tournament.
The former Chelsea midfielder managed Greece to a 2-0 win in Dublin in October and admitted to the media at that time that he could potentially be interested in the Ireland job, which is now officially available after the exit of Stephen Kenny.
But Poyet has now told FFT that he’s had no conversation about the vacancy, saying that ideally he would like to extend his contract with Greece and manage at the Euros next summer.
Asked if he’d had any contact with the FAI, the Uruguayan said, “No. When I went to Ireland, I thought it was amazing – we left the hotel and all the way to the stadium we saw people wearing the green shirts.
“Then the atmosphere in the stadium was amazing, even though I thought we had a better chance to qualify than them.
“The way people treated us was spectacular, I really thought it was a proper football place and then the media asked me ‘Are you looking to come here?’ I said ‘Wait, wait! But maybe there’s going to be a place’.
“You know the rules when a football player is six months from the end of his contract, they can start talking to other teams, and I don’t think managers are different. All the places where there is that football atmosphere, I would love to work.”
But, speaking on behalf of NewBettingSites.uk, Poyet clarified his current contract situation, making clear that he hoped to remain with Greece, depending on certain things off the field.
“I would like to stay but in March, my contract finishes. What can I do? If they want to come and write a new contract, I’ll sign it myself, write in the numbers, the length and the payout, but I can’t!” he joked.
“I want to stay and it’s not about money, it’s about certain things to maintain consistency in the way we’re doing things, to start looking for a training ground.
“We don’t have a training ground, we don’t have a home – people say ‘No way’ when they hear that. I say ‘Yes, we don’t have a home’. We trained in four or five different places in the last four or five international weeks, but I accept that, I knew it.
“What I want is to start looking for places, to start making plans, maybe I don’t use it because maybe I’m off beforehand, but if I achieve that for the next coach or the coach after that, to have a place, I’m going to be happy. I’m really pushing on that, I’m even talking to the government, I’m trying to get in contact with everybody!
“I’m really pushing because I think it’s important. It happened in Uruguay when I was young, we didn’t have a place and now I know the players go to a complex, it’s called the Celeste. They love it, they have their own room, there’s a place where they can have a barbecue, they have a home and I want a home for us.
“I’m not blaming anyone, I’m just trying to make sure that we have a place. If that’s in process, I think it would be easier for me to renew my contract.”
More Republic of Ireland stories
Shay Given on why Roy Keane must regret walking out on Ireland at the 2002 World Cup
Richard Dunne on Thierry Henry’s infamous handball: “I probably would have done it myself”
Martin O’Neill on Declan Rice and Jack Grealish playing for Ireland
