Mick McCarthy set to take over as Cardiff manager

Cardiff are set to make Mick McCarthy their new manager.

McCarthy, the former Republic of Ireland, Sunderland and Wolves boss, will succeed Neil Harris, who left the club on Thursday after suffering six straight defeats.

The 61-year-old parted company with APOEL on January 6 after just nine games and two months with the Cypriot champions.

McCarthy’s previous job was his second spell with the Republic, which ended last April after the coronavirus pandemic caused the Euro 2020 play-offs to be postponed and Stephen Kenny replaced him.

His last post in club management was a six-year spell at Ipswich between 2012 and 2018.

Cardiff’s hierarchy have turned to the experienced McCarthy after slipping to 15th place in the Sky Bet Championship, closer to the relegation zone than the play-off places which they are 13 points adrift of.

The PA news agency understands that the length of McCarthy’s contract has yet to be decided.

But initial talks have gone smoothly and a deal is expected to be completed over the next few days.

If so, McCarthy will be in charge in time for Cardiff’s next game at Barnsley on Wednesday, his birthplace and where the former defender began his playing career.

Harris succeeded Neil Warnock as Cardiff manager in November 2019 and had led the team to the play-off semi-finals last season.

But the former Millwall boss came under increasing pressure as results nosedived, and Cardiff owner Vincent Tan released a statement on Thursday announcing he had parted company with the 43-year-old.