JOHN O’SHEA SAYS the Republic of Ireland will not be distracted by the sideshow of Declan Rice and Jack Grealish returning to Dublin as the Boys in Green aim to get their Nations League campaign off to a positive start against England on Saturday.
Combined with former Ireland international Lee Carlsey being in interim charge of the visitors, there is added spice to the clash at Aviva Stadium.
Grealish was in the FAI system from U17 to U21 level before switching allegiances to the country of his birth in 2016 when former boss Martin O’Neill wanted to hand him a full cap.
Rice, however, made three senior appearances for Ireland before following Grealish’s lead, ironically playing in O’Shea’s final game as an international against the United States in 2018.
Now assistant head coach to manager Heimir Hallgrímsson, O’Shea has not given any thought to the difference the Arsenal midfielder would have made to Ireland’s cause.
“No, not at all. It’s one of them, it’s a focus on us and the players that are here and the players who want to be here. It’s as simple as that,” the Waterford native said, refusing to be drawn on seeing Rice up close as a teammate.
“Yeah, but he’s not here, he’s in the England squad so we can’t keep talking about it.
“You have to curb a lot of England players’ impact on the game. When you play a team that has just been in the Euros final, you know they have lots of threats and options to pick from. I think you know that whatever 11 they pick, and the squad of players they have to bring on and change games, it’s going to be full focus on our point of view to stop them but, more importantly, what we can do to cause them problems.”
Captain Seamus Coleman and centre back Andrew Omobamidele both trained fully with the rest of their Ireland teammates this morning, while Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins all withdrew from England’s squad.
“Look, when you see the England squad and the 26 that were picked, obviously there was potential we knew beforehand of lads with little illnesses or niggles and they left themselves a bit of space in terms of the numbers they picked, so they still have some good options to pick from I think so they will be okay, but it’s full focus on ourselves,” O’Shea said. “Obviously it brings it into play maybe some of the younger players they picked in the squad so it will be interesting to see.”
Carlsey worked with the likes of Angel Gomes, Noni Madueke, Morgan Gibbs-White and Tino Livramento at U21 level and has promoted them to the senior ranks, a job which O’Shea says his former Ireland teammate will want to put down a marker for on a permanent basis.
“I’m sure he’s hoping so. He’ll be thinking that he’s jumped up from the 21s after being a successful 21s manager, winning the Euros with them. Maybe the people behind the scenes would like to see him continuing that role into the senior one and they have given him that chance.
“But I’m sure there will be a cry out from other names in the public in England as well. As far as we’re concerned, it’s nothing for us to worry about. Our focus is on the start of the Nations League qualifiers and the manager, Heimir, coming in and that we give him our full backing and support and hopefully get off to a good start.
“I haven’t spoken to him (Carsley) recently. Obviously a few times going to different games and seeing him over the years at different stages. I think it was my ‘A” licence, he came in and spoke on it as well.
“Look, as a team-mate and person, any time I see him I always get on well with Lee, or ‘Carso’ as he’s known. It’s one of them, it’s a different scenario now. I haven’t seen him recently but I’m sure there will be a chance to catch up with him on Saturday.”
