O'Shea says Coleman injury needs time to heal

Ireland senior international coach and Just Eat ambassador John O’ Shea is pictured on Dublin’s Camden Row, 20 years on from his iconic nutmeg of Luis Figo. Just Eat are proud sponsors of the UEFA Champions League and have partnered up with John O’Shea to celebrate 20 years since this notable sporting moment. You can be in with a chance of winning tickets to the UEFA Champions League Final by visiting Just Eat's John O’Shea mural on Camden Row, Dublin before the 19th of May and scanning the QR code. For more information, visit just-eat.ie/info/UCL-final-comp-terms-conditions. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Ireland assistant coach John O’Shea admits Séamus Coleman’s knee injury needs time to heal, all but ruling the captain out of the upcoming crunch Euro qualifier in Greece.

Stephen Kenny’s side face a tricky trip to Athens on June 16 in their bid to get points on the board along the journey to Germany next year but it seems they’ll be trekking with their inspirational skipper.

Everton boss Sean Dyche last week said Coleman would be ready for next season after undergoing a procedure on the injury that forced him to be stretchered against Leicester City.

That statement left open to interpretation his availability for Ireland’s summer commitments and given his history of playing through the pain barrier few were willing to write him off.

Yet this set-back seems to be even beyond the 34-year-old’s renowned recovery power.

His former Ireland teammate O’Shea has been part of Kenny’s backroom staff since the March double-header that included a 1-0 loss to France in Ireland’s campaign opener.

He was reluctant to be categorical about Coleman’s situation but was realistic with the timeframe outlook.

“Look, I’ve no worries about his bouncebackability,” said O’Shea about the Everton full-back, who started at right wing-back against the French.

“I sent him a message when I knew he was having the operation and, thankfully, by all accounts, it has gone to plan and gone well.

“Look, it needs a bit of time to heal. It wasn’t nice seeing the injury live watching on the telly when it actually happened.

“He has bounced back before from a terrible injury to a fantastic level, so hopefully that will be the case again.” It’s unlikely, however, to be in time for this gathering, which concludes with the visit of minnows Gibraltar to Dublin on June 19. “I think it's a little bit different this time around,” O’Shea said about his record of defying the odds.

Having quit his job-sharing in a similar role at Stoke City, O’Shea will be giving his undivided attention to the Ireland set-up when a small group of players report to Bristol City on Monday for the initial phase of the build-up.

Cutting his ties with Stoke wasn’t on the agenda until he saw for himself the rigours of senior international windows.

“When I experienced the intensity of the nine-day camp and going back into the club scene with its demands, it was about getting the balance right to ensure I could fully focus on the one role,” he explained.

“It wasn't an easy decision to leave Stoke because it's a very good club but just the commitments in terms of doing the Stoke job and the Irish job as well, it's about getting a bit more balance in terms of family life too.

“Most importantly, going 100% with Ireland was the main thinking behind it.” O’Shea is the fourth ‘No 3’ Kenny has recruited to work with himself and sidekick Keith Andrews after Damien Duff, Anthony Barry and John Eustace departed for various reasons.

The Waterford man has no intention of maintaining that turnover.

"It's very simple, this job won over because it’s the Ireland senior team,” reasoned O’Shea about putting country before club.

“I'd done quite a bit on the club side of things and I felt it was a good time to focus all the energy onto the Irish team.

“I told Stephen there'd only be a couple of jobs that I would walk away for! No, in all seriousness I'm very committed to the Irish stuff and that's what I'll be doing.” - 

Ireland senior international coach and Just Eat ambassador John O’Shea was on hand today as a new mural commissioned by Just Eat was unveiled in Dublin. Just Eat is a proud partner of the UEFA Champions League and have teamed up with the former Manchester United footballer to commemorate 20 years since O’Shea iconically ‘nutmegged’ Luis Figo during an all-time classic between Manchester United & Real Madrid in the Champions League Quarter Final of the 2002/03 season.