Soccer

John O’Shea keeps focus on Belgium tie as Lee Carsley rules himself out of Ireland job

Caretaker manager concentrating all his efforts on helping the Republic ‘win big matches in Dublin again’

Seamus Coleman and interim Republic of Ireland head coach John O'Shea at the Castleknock Hotel in advance of the game against Belgium. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Gavin Cummiskey
Wed Mar 20 2024 - 23:00

On a busy Wednesday morning, when the FAI landed Sky on a four-year sponsorship deal and Lee Carsley formally backed away from the Republic of Ireland job, John O’Shea and Séamus Coleman sat down for a press conference in the Castleknock Hotel.

Winning football matches got mentioned multiple times by the caretaker manager and his veteran captain. Winning over style and substance. Winning big matches in Dublin again by making Ireland hard to beat.

O’Shea said it half a dozen times, half a dozen different ways. It was the only message in town until the Daily Mail published Carsley’s first utterances since the FAI approached the England under-21 coach last November to succeed Stephen Kenny.

“I went to speak to them,” he revealed. “Really informal, enjoyable, for around an hour. It went no further. It was good to see what their thoughts were and to explore whether I was ready to take that next step. It just went no further. I didn’t push it.”

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The FAI recruitment team is led by director of football Marc Canham, with Packie Bonner and chief executive Jonathan Hill supporting the ultra-confidential process.

Canham recently confirmed that the next Ireland manager has been identified but due to “existing contractual obligations” their name cannot be revealed until “early April”. This briefly reignited hope of Carsley, capped 40 times by Ireland, being lured away from The FA.

“There was a feeling that I would go and do a senior job after the summer but speaking to John McDermott [the English FA technical director] and other people, I’m committed to this campaign,” said Carsley, who took England to an under-21 Euros title last year. “At some point, maybe [being a club or international manager] it is something I’ll do.

“I didn’t need convincing [to stay with England]. I see myself as a development coach. I’ve not put myself out there, applying for jobs or anything. I definitely wouldn’t go down that route with the position I’m in and how lucky I am.”

So, the fourth secret of Fatima remains intact, but existing contractual obligations during the current international window suggest some previously mentioned candidates are in line to receive an FAI contract up to Euro 2028.

Willy Sagnol, the former Bayern Munich caretaker manager and France technical director, is currently trying to get Georgia to the European Championship in Germany this summer. Victory on Thursday night over Luxembourg in Tbilisi would set up a playoff decider against Gus Poyet’s Greece or Kazakhstan next Tuesday in the Georgian capital.

Besides having to apologise for racially stereotyping African players when he was Bordeaux manager in 2014, Sagnol fits the Canham bill of being an “on the grass” coach with international experience. The 47-year-old also indicated that his time with Georgia may be over regardless of results in the Euros playoffs.

Willy Sagnol, Georgia's head coach. Representatives of the former French international recently confirmed they have not been contacted by the FAI. Photograph: Georghi Licovski/EPA-EFE

“To work sometimes in conditions that are not always easy, with fewer means and resources, you need daily motivation,” said Sagnol this month. “And perhaps continuing after a defeat in the playoffs, or on the contrary after a historic qualification, can prove complicated.”

However, representatives of the former French international recently informed the42.ie that they have not been contacted by the FAI.

Former Ireland coach Anthony Barry is another possible candidate but taking the role in early April would force the Liverpudlian to cut ties as Portugal assistant coach ahead of the Euros.

The relentless speculation might distract the public from Saturday’s visit to Dublin of the fourth-ranked team in the world – but not O’Shea.

“Look, it will be the full focus on Belgium, and picking a team that can obviously cause them problems, but that can also be compact and tight as well, and be tough to play against,” said O’Shea.

“Bring that mentality to get yourself a win in Dublin, at the Aviva, bring that mentality back for the big games.”

Coleman evaded a question about the next manager but the Donegal man hopes to celebrate his 36th birthday on October 11th as Ireland skipper.

“It’s hard to walk away from something that you really love. I have to be honest with myself as well. I’ve always said if I felt back at Everton that people were skipping past me in training and that it didn’t feel right, I’d have to have a good, hard look at myself.

“I’ve played against some good wingers this season and I’ve felt good, I’ve felt strong. I’ll be honest with myself when that time comes, but for as long as I can, I won’t say no to my national team, absolutely not.

“Great lads have come in and I take pride in trying to mentor some of them along the way like the manager did to me, like Robbie Keane did to me, like Damien Duff did to me, like Shay Given did to me – things that have stuck with me forever. I want to play a small part in their international career as well. The fire in the belly, let me tell you, is still burning strong.”

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey is The Irish Times' Soccer Correspondent

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