The FAI have extended John O’Shea’s role as interim Republic of Ireland manager for friendlies against Hungary and Portugal in June.
After guiding Ireland through March games at the Aviva Stadium, a scoreless draw with Belgium and 1-0 loss to Switzerland, O’Shea will oversee Hungary’s visit to Dublin on June 4th before a warm-weather camp in Aveiro finishes against a game against Roberto Martinez’s Portugal on June 11th.
O’Shea has repeatedly expressed his desire to take the job on a more permanent basis but FAI director of football Marc Canham decided to extend the search for Stephen Kenny’s successor until the Nations League in September.
With England coming to the Aviva on September 7th, the new manager – unless it is O’Shea – will have no time to prepare for six competitive fixtures in 2024.
Technical adviser Brian Kerr has stepped away from the set-up but Crystal Palace coach Paddy McCarthy and Glenn Whelan will continue as O’Shea’s assistants alongside goalkeeping coach Rene Gilmartin.
“It wasn’t possible for me to rejoin the coaching team this time around on account of commitments – personal and professional – that I’d made some time ago,” said Kerr. “Irish football, [and] it’s welfare, remains a great passion for me.”
Kenny’s chief analyst Stephen Rice and athletic performance coach Damien Doyle will also continue to support the squad’s preparation this summer.
“I’m looking forward to continuing as interim head coach for two great games in June against Hungary and Portugal,” said O’Shea. “Both matches represent great challenges but I was really happy with what I saw from the players in both matches in March and we’ll be looking to build on some of those positives in June, but also, get that win which I thought the group deserved.”
With the association struggling to appoint a manager to replace Kenny, whose contract was not renewed last November, both O’Shea and Whelan have been monitoring Irish players at English clubs.
“I have been in contact with Marc Canham since the March fixtures, and last week he asked me about stepping in again and, as I said before, it is always an honour to represent your country so [I am] delighted to continue and the work will begin straight away.”
Canham, who has not explained how the FAI missed three of their own deadlines to appoint a new Ireland manager, said in a statement: “We’re delighted to extend John and his coaching and performance team for the June fixtures. As confirmed last week, the process to appoint a new head coach for our senior men’s team will be concluded ahead of the start of the Uefa Nations League.”
Initially, the FAI’s three-man recruitment team was made up of Canham, outgoing chief executive Jonathan Hill and Packie Bonner. However, despite a protracted search, no candidate’s name has gone to the 14-person board for ratification.
Multiple reports indicate that Lee Carsley, Anthony Barry, Gus Poyet, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Chris Hughton were each approached, only to distance themselves from the vacant position. Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon interviewed for the role but he revealed that a lack of international coaching experience worked against him.
O’Shea was not considered for an interview as recently as December while Shelbourne manager Damien Duff said that an informal approach to him was a box-ticking exercise before branding the entire process “embarrassing”.
In March, Canham stated that “existing contractual obligations” have stalled the announcement until “early April” but this date came and went without a manager appointed or an explanation. The recruitment process has been pushed beyond the Euros, when several candidates with international experience like Georgia coach Willy Sagnol will be available.
Elsewhere, the Ireland under-21s will take on Croatia and England in two friendlies in Zagreb in June. Jim Crawford’s side will face the hosts on Friday, June 7th before playing the Carsley-coached England under-21s on June 11th.
