The IHA’s closing date for applications is September 30, meaning we won’t know the new coach’s identity until October at the earliest. Undeterred, Southern Fried indulges in some good old-fashioned speculation and takes a look at some of the front-runners – and rank outsiders – to step into the breach.

The Main Contender – Craig Fulton

Having worked as Passmore’s right-hand man for almost three years, Fulton is the obvious choice for the post if the IHA are searching for continuity.

‘Ned’ has limited experienced as a head coach – understandable given he doesn’t turn 34 until November and is still playing with Pembroke Wanderers.

Craig Fulton

Nonetheless, he is also the boss at Serpentine Avenue, and has had stints on the touchline at Chelmsford and north London’s Felstead School. In addition, his experience of playing at the top-level is without question, having taken in two Olympics as part of his 191 caps for South Africa.

Fulton’s familiarity with the Irish system is an obvious bonus, not to mention his working relationship with Passmore.

Whoever takes the Irish job will have to see eye to eye with the previous incumbent, now he has moved upstairs to the full-time role of high performance director.

The IHA will also have taken note of how he confidently handled the media’s questions about Iain Lewers’ defection in Passmore’s absence.

However, the national body will surely be striving to find someone with a proven track record as a head coach at international level – whether Fulton, if he puts his hat in the ring, can overcome this gap in his CV remains to be seen.

The Disgruntled Neighbour – Jason Lee

Some tabloidesque news reporting – screaming headline, little substance – by the Daily Telegraph last month implied that Great Britain coach Jason Lee was browned off with the technique of players coming through the club systems in England, Scotland and Wales.

The absence of any actual quotes from Lee mean Southern Fried is still in the dark about whether the man credited with turning Loughbourough into a force actually wants to jump ship.

Jason Lee

While GB punched above their ranking by finishing fifth, the absence of a medal in an otherwise fruitful Olympics has put hockey in the spotlight across the water for all the wrong reasons.

Lee’s 10-year involvement in the English setup suggests he’s comfortable where he is, and if it’s the players’ technique that’s getting under his skin, he’s hardly likely to find a plethora of Taeke Taekmas or Jamie Dwyers across the Irish Sea. And, of course, one of our most technically gifted players, Lewers, has already headed in the other direction.

Nonetheless, the prospect of change and a new challenge may appeal, as it did for Passmore, and the Irish passion may sit well with a coach who’s not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve.

The Broken Reputation – Naveed Alam

The Pakistani coaching duo of Khawaja Zakauddin and Alam went down swinging in the aftermath of their team’s disastrous performance at Beijing, where the Asian powerhouse’s eighth-placed finish prompted both head coach Zakauddin and assistant Alam to resign.

Naveed Alam

“I take full responsibility of the team’s failure and I am sorry for its dismal performance in the mega event in China,” said Naveed, while Zakauddin didn’t mince his words either: “I am deeply disappointed at the team’s disastrous performance. I take responsibility for the defeats and the poor finish, and it’s now time for new people to take over.”

While 71-year-old Zakauddin’s time in top-level hockey has surely run its course, Naveed may be tempted by the chance to get out of dodge.

He would bring excellent technical knowledge to the table, but adapting to a vastly different hockey culture – not to mention language – may prove a step too far for Naveed, though Arul Anthoni and Nasir Munir have proven that Asian coaches can thrive on Irish soil.

Whether Naveed would be remotely interested in upping sticks – and what salary he’d demand – are other matters entirely. He has already stated his belief that a foreign coach wouldn’t fare well in Pakistan, but it’s not known if this is his universal viewpoint.

The Foreign Mentor – Paul van Ass

This weekend’s leaked news that van Ass is set to be integrated into the Netherlands setup may have scuppered any hopes of the former HGC supermo taking up residence on these shores, but should the Dutch press have got it wrong, van Ass has plenty going for him.

His credentials are obvious – he handed over the reins at HGC to Alexander Cox earlier this summer having guided them to the final of the inaugural EuroHockey League, no mean feat given they ousted Sohail Abbas’ Rotterdam on the way.

Paul van Ass (left)

Also worth noting from an Irish perspective is how he got the best out of the Irish emigrants who pitched up in the Hague in recent years. Phelie Maguire, Eugene Magee, John Jermyn and GB-bound Iain Lewers all improved during their time with the Dutch club, though Jermyn suggested to Southern Fried that this has more to do with his man-management than anything else.

“A big point in going to that club was the coach. He wouldn’t be very tactically aware, but his man-management was excellent. He was fun to play for,” he said. The Dutch obviously also think highly enough of him, given their apparent desire to put him in charge of the ‘Young Oranje’ – which sadly suggests the Irish job has come up just a few days too late.

The Long Shot – Ric Charlesworth

The decorated Australian would, in many ways, represent the ultimate acquisition for Irish hockey, bringing a Giovanni Trapattoni-style big-name feelgood factor and a bulging CV.

Charlesworth, a four-time Olympian, is Australia’s most successful hockey coach, having led the Hockeyroos to consecutive gold medals in 1996 and 2000 in his only stint as a national coach.

He is available, having tired of the bureaucracy in India, and has expressed a desire to get back in harness with the Kookaburras, whose head hencho Barry Dancer stepped down after the Australians’ shock Olympic semi-final loss to Spain.

Ric Charlesworth

Should Charlesworth, who claims he “has another burst in him”, be overlooked in his homeland – unlikely given his and Australia’s schedules appear to have finally married after years of dalliances – Irish hockey fans might dare to dream.

Charlesworth has patrolled the IHA corridors in recent times, having travelled to Dublin to head up the annual Hooked! Conference in January of this year.

The fact he has taken in Italy (on sabbatical) and New Zealand (as the cricket high performance manager) in recent years and claims he’s ready to return to Perth doesn’t bode well.

And unless the IHA pulls off the mother, father and incontinent aunt of all coups, he won’t be pitching up in Ireland. But hell, it’s fun to imagine, right?