In a week which saw Stan ‘not the man’ Staunton surplus to requirements by the Republic, debates continue on whether or not they – or any other team – should go ‘foreign’ in their search for a new saviour; or remain stubbornly stagnant & continue to stick to their own. Judging by the current events at Man City & in light of my recent immigration to Ireland, I can certainly see the benefits of being an outsider, & the rewards in hiring a man who’s free from the shackles of an increasingly unappreciative crowd. As Irish pundits understandably focus on the negatives, from where I’m standing - if the FAI make the right choice – there is much reason for optimism.

Idealistically, an experienced & impassioned native would do nicely, but in reality O’Neil & Keane aside, there’s none capable of doing the job, as the Hiddink’s & Sven’s of this world continue to outperform our less tactically minded patrons, & goes some way to proving that keeping to what you know gets you absolutely nowhere.

Firstly, if we cast our minds back to the tail end of last season, Man City found themselves in a remarkably similar situation to the Irish. With fans feeling more despondent then ever before (that’s some depression by their standards) after witnessing a season of abominable horse shite, being led by the quintessential Englishman & arguably overly passionate - Stuart Pearce. Although ‘Psycho’ was an established international left-back, he’d had no real previous experience in management, did shockingly & was rightfully dismissed. Sound familiar?

He too received a handsome pay off.

It seems that a change in company policy proved just the tonic for City, & the detached stealth of Sven, albeit with the help of his Thai checkbook, is so far working perfectly. What I’m finding hard to fathom though, is what I discovered on my visit to Eastlands, on what proved an atypically sunny afternoon in Manchester. After pulling all the strings & pulverizing a Newcastle team distinctively lacking ideas & sophistication, an inspired Elano then blasted in a spectacular free kick from 30 yards. Derisive scoffs of “He’ll never make the winter(?)” from the bloke behind were followed by similar jibes by the City faithful, with their rendition of “Empty Seats…” aimed at those who were leaving early. I soon became aware (& respect to them) of the fact that no Geordie had budged, & ‘twas for the benefit of their own fans, whom - instead of basking in the glory – were leaving in their droves. This was The City of Manchester Stadium & this could only be City!

Despite yesterday’s harsh lesson at The Bridge, Sven won’t be feeling the pressure, neither the burden of responsibility that a Keegan-type might. Sven will coolly learn from this defeat & see where his side needs improving. In fairness, they look 3 players short of a side challenging for a place in the Champions League. But with more Thai money being made available in January – especially if Sven spends it as he did in the summer - subjects should stay seated for  what promises to be the most exciting season in the clubs Premier League history. Citizens should certainly be cherishing witnessing the finest football being played at City since the glory days of Mercer & Allison; & realise the enormity of what Sven & his team are currently achieving.

It makes me laugh when you consider who the FA chose to replace Sven, with a man supposedly their idea of a Lion-heart. No disrespect to Steve, but I’m sure ‘Psycho’ could’ve done better (& astonishingly he was a candidate), as I’ve met door-to-door salesmen who’ve possessed more genuine passion for their shitty tat they try to shift, than Steve – painfully dull - McClaren.

And so the search begins for the long suffering Irish. In the country boasting the birthplace of public lynching (In Galway, if rumours are to be believed) - whoever they choose - it’s important he receives a fair crack of the whip & the backing of the nation.

In my opinion, Ireland have to spend big (& they’re certainly not short of a few bob) & get the best manager available, which unfortunately means he shouldn’t be Irish. This may come as a blow to Eamonn Dunphy – who, like most of those morbid old bastards he sits beside on the RTE-Two - feels he’s in with a shout. Pissed wisdom one suspects, as ‘Dumphy’ couldn’t spot good football if it bit him on his wrinkly contentious arse.

As an Englishman now living in Ireland & a foreigner here for nearly 5 weeks, I’ve already started to realise this country’s vast wealth of beauty, beauty that only an outsider could possibly apprehend. Whilst being warned(flashed) by thoughtful onrushing motorists of Gardaí up ahead, being offered the tastiest triangular sarnies (known to man) during matches in my local pub, & being spoken to by passers by on the street may be commonplace in Ireland, from an outsider’s point of view this is something invigorating & unique. So too may it be difficult for natives to recognise the charm of being passed by a burly 30-something woman; power-walking her way to town, the sensuous smell of turf burning outside incredibly inviting boozers, or the majestic art of sleep-drinking – a skill I witnessed one man performing on my very first night out in Galway. And then there’s Barry’s Tea, Abrakebabra, Jonnies Onion Rings & Rock Shandy – all equally scrumptious & perfect examples of Ireland’s - say it like it is - approach to advertising.

Sometimes we all need an outside influence to remind us of what qualities we already possess, but cannot see. Someone who, as Mike Scott from The Waterboys once splendidly put it, see’s “The Whole of the Moon” and not merely the crescent. And the boon of recruiting a top foreign manager I feel can do exactly this.

Sven’s early success at City comes as no surprise to me, as his record in club management is as good as any one in European football. So fans of Manchester City should certainly be counting their blessings. And let us hope Ireland get their act together and appoint the right man; as lets face it, any tournament without them is a far duller one. If they can capture someone of similar stature & ability as Eriksson; someone who’s ice cold, cunning & (money?) driven, even if he does have a weakness for the ladies, then I’m sure they’ll be just fine. And I don’t mean a Catholic Priest, before anyone at the FAI gets any bright ideas.