Martin O'Neill's Republic of Ireland future remains somewhat in limbo, with reports that the manager has yet to put pen to paper on a fresh deal.
It was announced before the crunch World Cup qualifier double-header with Moldova and Wales that O'Neill had agreed to stay on until the 2020 European Championships, with the prospect of group games in that tournament being played on Irish soil particularly attractive to the former Leicester City and Celtic boss.
"I spoke to John [Delaney] very recently and he said, on behalf of the board, they would like to extend my contract for another couple of years, obviously with the Euros coming up, and I have agreed to do so," he told FAI TV in the run-up to the Wales match earlier this month.
"I’m delighted, I have enjoyed it immensely."
Hours earlier, when asked about a new deal during his press conference, O'Neill said there was a "willingness" to remain in place but matters seemed to advance very swiftly. But seemingly not to the point of O'Neill signing on the dotted line.
Doubt remains over Roy Keane's plans, and his future also remains unclear.
On Sunday an FAI spokesman refused to confirm if O'Neill had put to pen to paper but The Sunday Independent report the deal is a verbal one only and O'Neill has not actually signed a contract .
The situation is reminiscent of O'Neill and Keane's situation in the run-up to the Euros in France last year.
Then, O'Neill felt a handshake with FAI CEO John Delaney - just days before the opening game against Sweden - was sufficient as he focused on preparing his team for the tournament.
It was three months before he finally signed on the dotted line, along with his full back-room staff of Keane, Steve Walford, Steve Guppy and Seamus McDonagh.
Ireland travel to Denmark for the first leg of the World Cup play-off in on Saturday, November 11, with the return in Dublin three days later.
