As a tough-tackling central defender, Mick McCarthy made over 500 league appearances and earned 57 caps for the Republic of Ireland.
He began his coaching career in 1992 as player-manager of Second Division Millwall and he took the club to the play-offs in 1994. Appointed manager of the Republic of Ireland in 1996, he led the national team to the 2002 World Cup and famously held Spain to a second round draw, only losing out in a penalty shootout.
As manager of Sunderland he achieved promotion to the Premier League as champions in 2005 and he was voted LMA Championship Manager of the Year. He subsequently spent five years in charge of Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he completely rebuilt the team and achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2009 as champions. In recognition of this feat, he picked up his second LMA Championship Manager of the Year award.
He spent five years as manager of Ipswich Town and enjoyed a second stint in charge of the Republic of Ireland, before joining Cypriot club APOEL in November 2020.