Soccer

Assured O’Shea pleased with Ireland performance against Belgium

‘You’re playing Belgium in Dublin, you’d take a clean sheet but a little bit disappointed in the end too’

Ireland's interim head coach John O’Shea: 'We had the best chances.' Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Gavin Cummiskey
Sun Mar 24 2024 - 23:00

Vastly different perspectives tumbled from this international friendly on Saturday evening in Dublin. The Republic of Ireland under John O’Shea are relieved, yet going nowhere. Belgium are unhappy as they trundle over to Wembley for a primetime meet with England, and the Euros to follow.

Nil-all was a welcome result for Ireland, albeit with regrets sprinkled over the occasion.

At least Sammie Szmodics’ Irish passport got stamped, Caoimhín Kelleher made some fine saves and Séamus Coleman looked evergreen at age 35. Unfortunately for Evan Ferguson, the teenager’s spot kick to break a 122-day goal drought was denied by Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels.

Irish miscues, Chiedozie Ogbene being as guilty as Ferguson, proved the winning or drawing of this contest.

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“A youngster stepping up like that, it shows the courage Ev has and he didn’t let it affect him,” said O’Shea, Ireland’s caretaker manager. “He knocked into the centre backs as soon as he could again and got his confidence going.”

The teenager missed another chance 11 seconds into the second half, from a trademark Robbie Brady delivery, but O’Shea was correct about the Brighton striker leaving dents on Leicester City’s Wout Faes and Genoa’s Koni De Winter.

For Belgium, without generational stars Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois and Jan Vertonghen, a scoreless return had their travelling media questioning the masterplan of young coach Domenico Tedesco.

“A boring game,” said Tedesco, adding that “a slow rhythm and no sharpness” made it difficult for the number-four ranked nation in the world to “find the right shape” against number 62.

O’Shea responded: “What, no sharpness from his team? We had the best chances, we were aware beforehand that they would go with that 4-3-3 shape.”

If this was an audition to become the permanent Ireland manager, which according to the FAI it was not, then O’Shea looked the part.

“Paddy [McCarthy] and Whelo [Glenn Whelan] said this morning, ‘how did you sleep last night?’ and to be fair, look, if I have a problem sleeping I’ll definitely be worried. I’ve always slept well thankfully.”

Mr Reliable during his Old Trafford days, post-match the 42-year-old sounded like the man for a job FAI director of football Marc Canham will fill sometime next month. The latest deadline for the unveiling in “early April” has been pushed back to avoid clashing with the women’s Nations League fixture between Ireland and England at the Aviva Stadium on April 9th.

Stephen Kenny’s Ireland continually drew more than 40,000 to home matches yet only 38,128 attended here, which is partly down to grouping tickets with Switzerland’s visit on Tuesday. Also, a lack of interest has descended over the roaming Irish sports fan, who only sees how long the FAI are taking to appoint Kenny’s successor — 124 days and counting.

In the meantime, O’Shea brings an assuredness that he has always possessed.

“I don’t know how many years ago I started planning to coach. It’s a roundabout way that it happened this time but I’ve always had a taste to be a manager at some stage.”

Now he has one game under his managerial belt with Murat Yakin’s Swiss to follow.

“Oooh that first one got me, I have to say,” O’Shea said of Leipzig striker Loïs Openda almost pickpocketing the Liverpool goalkeeper. “Caoimhín did leave it a bit too long but fair play to him, he’s in a confident mood.”

How about giving Gavin Bazunu a chance to respond to Kelleher’s performance, particularly the save that denied Thomas Meunier’s strike after Dodi Lukébakio skinned Dara O’Shea down the right wing? “We’ll wait and see, there’s every chance he will [start v Switzerland] but I won’t be confirming anything about the team.”

Exuding authority, O’Shea sounded like his old boss but 40 years ago a 42-year-old Alex Ferguson was fresh from leading Aberdeen to a European Cup Winners Cup by beating Real Madrid in the final, so he has a way to go.

“If we take those chances when they arrive in the game, it would open up Belgium and we could exploit it even more. Frustrating one in that sense: you’re playing Belgium in Dublin, you’d take a clean sheet but a little bit disappointed in the end too.”

Nonetheless, John O’Shea has arrived on managerial row.

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey is The Irish Times' Soccer Correspondent

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