With Ireland's 2024 schedule of games just a matter of weeks away, it comes as no surprise that the FAI have opted to announce an interim manager to take charge of the side.
And it is no surprise either that they have turned to former player John O'Shea to take the reins for the upcoming friendly fixtures against Belgium and Switzerland.
O’Shea has also been involved with the squad during the Stephen Kenny era and will bring a strong element of continuity to the upcoming international window.
However, the former Manchester United man will have some big calls to make leading up to the two games.
Answer the Question
It will be a remarkable feat if John O’Shea makes it through the first press conference without having to answer the inevitable. Eileen Gleeson got plagued with the persistent line of questioning regarding aspirations to secure the full-time position.
Her reluctance to answer the question definitively meant that it lingered, and while O’Shea has potentially only got one month in the hot seat, he will, no doubt, have something prepped to be churned out at the earliest opportunity.
Kenny Connection
Looking at John O’Shea’s career to date; a Premier League winner with Manchester United, and one of the most capped players of all time for the Republic of Ireland, combined with what the FAI are looking for in a head coach, it would appear that the Waterford native is a perfect match for the full-time position.
However, O’Shea’s involvement with the previous regime probably rules him out of the running this time around as there are too many who want a completely different approach to how Stephen Kenny set up his side.
While Kenny was happy to patrol the sidelines away from the bench, hugging the touchline throughout games, he was very collaborative with his backroom staff throughout international windows, which suggests that O’Shea was completely on board with how things proceeded over the past three years.
There were many positives to take out of those years with Kenny, which should stand to him in the future, but at the moment, the wounds have perhaps yet to fully heal.
Squad Selection
Similarly, it will be difficult for O’Shea to put his stamp on the squad with just two games to create an identity, and as a result, the interim boss is set to stick with the contingent that has been established throughout the Kenny era.
There may be some young players that O’Shea may have felt deserved a call-up by now and he may use this opportunity to introduce a new man or two, while it may be more indicative of his outlook on the squad should he leave out one or two of the regulars who have featured in the past three years.
The Sammie Szmodics situation may be addressed once more, especially after seeing how he coped against a strong Newcastle side in the FA Cup.
Keeper Quandary
Keeping with the cup theme, there has never been a stronger argument to elevate Caoimhín Kelleher to the number one spot following some outstanding displays for Liverpool in recent weeks.
O’Shea, no doubt, will have his own opinions regarding the position having worked with all three of Ireland’s top-quality keeping team, Kelleher, Mark Travers, and current number one Gavin Bazunu.
Bazunu has had his critics at club level, however, the former Shamrock Rovers 16-year-old sensation has barely put a foot wrong when clad out in the colours of his country, and it would be a big call by O’Shea to drop him on account of someone else’s form.
Diplomacy will surely reign during the course of the two games, with all three most likely seeing some time on the pitch, as it is the one department that the new man in does not really have to pay too much attention to.
The McCarthy Factor
While there are no issues in goal, the new manager will have to build from the back and make this Republic of Ireland team hard to beat, once again.
Seen as a bit of a soft touch in the international game in recent times in relation to conceding poor goals, teams came with confidence against the Ireland set-up, with a host of long-range goals, while also catching Kenny’s side cold after the break.
O’Shea will work alongside Paddy McCarthy for the two games, and while there is not a whole lot that can be conjured up in such a short period of time, two defensive stalwarts should be able to, at least, put a renewed focus on that area of the game.
McCarthy moved seamlessly from playing to coaching and has been earning a very good reputation, embedded in the Premier League with Crystal Palace, and perhaps it’s only a matter of time before he himself becomes a number one.
Follow the RTÉ Sport WhatsApp channel for the best news, interviews, analysis and features, as well as details of our sports coverage across all RTÉ platforms.
