Troussier wants Ireland job

French coach Philippe Troussier has said that he hopes to coach the Republic of Ireland. The IFA have reportedly considered Troussier before, but Philippe has now officially put his name forward for the job.

The 52-year-old told BBC sport: "I'm already thinking about the 2010 World Cup in Africa,"

Troussier has spent most of his coaching career in Africa where his exploits earned him the nickname of White Witchdoctor.

His last coaching job at international level was as coach of Morocco, a position he vacated in January 2006.

"Right now I am open to suggestions. I'm available.

"I have a lot of managerial experience behind me, more than 200 matches at the highest level and managed at two World Cups."

"Two years in a career is nothing and I am now 52 years old, not too old, not too young and the right age to take on a new challenge.

"Of course, it's not easy for a federation to decide to take a foreign manager.

"But I have been living in Morocco for more than 15 years and during that time, I worked in South Africa, Nigeria, Japan and Marseille.

"It's not a problem to live in Morocco or Paris or London. Ireland's an international country and it's not difficult to move around."