PORTUGAL AND HUNGARY are heading to Euro 2024 so it makes perfect sense for them to fit in a warm-up date with the Republic of Ireland as part of their preparations for the tournament in Germany.
But what is the point for us?
There is no permanent manager in place to build towards the start of the Nations League in September and a sense of drift pervades.
That search will go on and, in the meantime, John O’Shea has been installed as interim boss for a second time after FAI director of football Marc Canham conceded defeat in appointing a successor to Stephen Kenny before the April deadline he had set himself.
Damien Duff says O’Shea has been hung out to dry by the FAI and shouldn’t have agreed to spare their blushes again having filled the void in March for a credible 0-0 draw with Belgium followed by defeat to Switzerland a few days later.
It was before those games, remember, that Canham sat beside O’Shea and thanked him for stepping up but made it clear another candidate’s arrival was imminent and only being delayed by what was described as existing contractual obligations.
When that April deadline to appoint a manager was then missed, it emerged former Greece boss Gus Poyet turned the role down while his Georgia counterpart Willy Sagnol was also reportedly in the frame.
This all added to a feeling of confusion and embarrassment at the inability to land a candidate, and it grew further when Canham sat down for an in-house interview with the FAI last month in which he accepted mistakes were made in setting timelines, before then insisting they wanted to have a manager in place in time for September.
“If everyone had their time again in terms of mentioning timelines, that wouldn’t have been the case, would it?” O’Shea said. “It would have been just ‘we’re waiting to get someone in and when we do we’ll get them in’. Look, I know Marc is doing good work behind the scenes.
“I know he’s a good fella and he wants to do things the right way. He’s got plenty of stick but that’s part and parcel when you’re in these roles. You must have a tough neck and hopefully he gets on continuing the good work he’s doing at the association.”
Canham also publicly stated in that interview that he wanted O’Shea to be interim boss before he had accepted it, and the Ireland centurion admitted it was not a chance he was going to turn down.
“You weigh a few things up but ultimately, for me, it was managing my expectations in terms of ‘right, this is going to be brilliant for me, I get to manage my country again for two games, really two good tests again and I’m only going to be better for it afterwards’. That was my thinking of it. Whatever happens afterwards happens. My full focus is on the two games.
“I’ve been coaching now for a good few years. Full on day to day for a long time as well in at different clubs, in with the [Ireland] 21s. There were a couple of years there where I was 24/7 for 11 months coaching on the grass, learning about players, learning about squads,” the former Reading, Stoke City, Birmingham City and Ireland assistant coach added.
“Just how things have happened this time around the first chance I have to be a manager is to manage my country so that’s what I’m really enjoying and looking forward to doing for the next two games.”
Canham will once again be embedded in the Ireland camp when the players begin to arrive this week ahead of Hungary’s visit next Tuesday.
They will then set off for Portugal ahead of that friendly a week later.
It’s a lengthy end-of-season period for Irish internationals but it feels like it’s O’Shea who has the most riding on these games.
Interim FAI chief executive David Courell – Jonathan Hill announced his exit amid all of this, remember – admitted earlier this month that O’Shea would still be considered and it’s vital to finally confirm an appointment just to bring some clarity to an international team that is becoming an afterthought without a figurehead driving its sense of purpose.
“The experience for me to manage my country in my first job is incredible. I just can’t emphasise that enough and I’m getting invaluable experience, learning about myself, learning about players, individuals, and people, obviously coaching staff, things like that as well,” O’Shea said.
“It’s been brilliant for me and then obviously ultimately that acid test of competing with international teams, picking a team, an XI, a squad, obviously having to disappoint one or two people, obviously give delight to people as well. It’s something I’ve loved and as I’ve mentioned it’s something I’ll continue hopefully along the way after these two games.
“If I was permanent manager, for example, hypothetically, for this window, when you’re talking to players and talking to lads, my style wouldn’t change too much, but you’d be able to obviously talk about the future more so as well as the games that are coming up.
“That would obviously help whoever a permanent manager would be but I know my focus is on the next two games. That’s all I can focus on.”
O’Shea responded earlier in the day to Duff’s comments and the inclusion of Shane Duffy is an indication of his desire to rely on experience in this window.
The Norwich City defender was charged with drink driving by Norfolk Police following a two-person crash this month and O’Shea stressed he wanted to stand by the 32-year-old and did not have to seek permission from FAI superiors about drafting him in.
“No, no. I spoke to Shane just to see where he was in terms of the end of the season, stuff that had gone. He was unequivocal in terms of his passion to play for Ireland and be involved. It’s obviously not good but we have to support people as well, he’s been a big player for Ireland and it’s important to support people too. He will have that support with Ireland.
“That’s part and parcel of life, people make mistakes but they have the chance to redeem themselves as well.”
Wayne Rooney is doing so for different reasons at Plymouth Argyle after being confirmed as their new manager this week. O’Shea was on his old Manchester United teammate’s coaching staff at Birmingham for what turned out to be a 15-game stint before the club cut ties.
The pair have spoken in recent weeks but O’Shea’s message was clear.
“My full focus is on the two games coming up and I’ve nothing sorted either way after that. My total commitment is to these two games.”
