JOHN O’SHEA REMAINS in the dark around the Irish manager’s situation, with the FAI set to miss another deadline and fail to announce Stephen Kenny’s permanent successor this week.
The FAI last week committed to announcing a new manager this week, but it’s understood that deadline will be missed. They hope the announcement will be next week, but that ambition was communicated with less certainty than the most recent deadline.
Amid the hugely protracted search, John O’Shea did a series of media engagements in Dublin today in his Uefa role as an ambassador for the Europa League final, promoting the trophy tour of Ireland.
His sit-down with journalists was dominated by the Irish manager situation, however, in what proved to be a mildly excruciating back-and-forth in which he appeared to know as little about the situation as the rest of us.
First O’Shea was asked if he will be the next permanent manager, to which he responded, “I’ve no idea, I can’t update you.” Asked if would be in interim charge for June’s friendly games against Hungary and Portugal, O’Shea replied, “I’ve no idea on that either.”
O’Shea did have a conversation with director of football Marc Canham after the March double header, of which he took interim charge. “He said he’d update me then in terms of going forward as soon as he could [and] that things were progressing, but that’s as far as I know”, said O’Shea of that meeting with Canham.
O’Shea said he has not been told by the FAI that he won’t be the permanent manager, and he has been told that he would likely have a role going forward, potentially as an assistant if not as the main man.
He admitted he wants to land the manager’s job on a full-time basis.
“Ah look, that’s the ideal scenario, that’s how I would feel”, said O’Shea, “but ultimately, Marc has been saying they’re looking for someone with experience in the role. That’s something I obviously don’t have in terms of being actually a head coach, apart from the last two games and it was something I thoroughly enjoyed.”
O’Shea was also asked for his view of the length of the search, which today hit its 146th day.
“The ideal scenario is that whoever was going to be the manager would be in by now”, said O’Shea. “Obviously that has not been the case or whatever reason why. Hopefully when that person is announced it is straightforward and everyone gets behind them and we start trying to qualify for major tournaments again.
“Not everything in life can be straightforward and ideal, there is going to be twists and turns and this has proved to be the case.”
And can O’Shea explain any of the aforementioned twists and turns?
“Everyone is trying to have an educated guess: put two and two together, managers qualifying, managers not qualifying, this manager is out of work. I can’t help you.”
Take that as another no. He was also asked if he would be open to taking interim charge in June if a permanent manager was appointed but only available to take charge after the Euros.
“I can’t update you on that”, he said. “I don’t know if it’s confirmed someone is coming in. They are obviously negotiating with people.”
O’Shea said he has been attending games in England since the end of the most recent international window, but said he wasn’t doing so to scout players on behalf of the FAI.
Amid the limbo, O’Shea said he hasn’t been turning down any other job opportunities.
“Look, it’s a case of wait and see for myself at the minute”, he said. “I’m not turning down anything, I’m not in that final stages of anything with any club.”
O’Shea also clarified the recent report that Mick McCarthy made an appearance at the recent international camp in March: he was flown over for punditry duty on Virgin Media, who coincidentally booked him into the Castleknock Hotel, which is where the team are based.
At the end of it all, there was a question on the Europa League, out of politeness as much as anything else.
Is Liverpool’s season imploding, John?
“The Atalanta result was a big blow but in terms of the Premier League that’s the trophy they had their eyes on”, came the reply. “The Palace result was a real downer for keeping pressure on Manchester City because they have a slightly easier run-in too. Especially because they’ve been there in and done it.”
The interminable length of the search and the absence of clarity from the FAI meant O’Shea was landed in a pretty invidious position today, one he handled with grace.
And so on it goes.
Uefa Europa League Trophy Tour Locations
Event: Dublin Europa Cup
Date: Friday, April 19
Time: 12.30pm-4.30pm
Location: Irishtown Stadium
Event: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Waterford
Date: Friday, April 19
Time: 6.30pm (for photos)
Location: Richmond Park
Event: General Public Photo Opportunity
Date: Saturday, April 20
Time: 12.30pm-4pm
Location: ILAC Shopping Centre
