Ireland's manager — next steps and six contenders for the hotseat
Lee Carsley, Roy Keane John O'Shea - Ireland manager contenders.
Football doesn’t stand still and despite the genuine wish for Stephen Kenny’s reign to be successful his repeated failures pivot attention to the next Ireland manager.
That vacancy could arise sooner rather than later.
Allowing Kenny to stay in charge for the three remaining dead rubbers in October and November is lame duck territory, not helping any of the affected parties, especially players, embrace a fresh direction.
John O’Shea is well placed as an assistant coach to assume caretaker charge for the visit of Greece on Friday, October 13 and trip to meet Gibraltar three days later in Faro, if the FAI’s open search drifts beyond that window towards the final qualifier in Netherlands on November 18.
Kenny’s desperate attempt to prolong his tenure into a fourth year based on a playoff Ireland shot currently only hold of a 10% chance of being involved in has no relevance to FAI’s powerbrokers.
If an unlikely set of results in other groups offer a reprieve into the semi-finals next March, it won’t be Kenny at the helm.
More likely, however, is his replacement using the first two windows of 2024 to prepare for the Nations League series being contested between September and November.
Two places are on offer from that campaign for the playoffs towards the 2026 World Cup.
Steps to regain ground lost during the Kenny era will be gradual, making arduous the quest to end a tournament drought stretching back to 2016, but the presence of bedrocks throughout the side from goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu to Nathan Collins in defence and up to striker Evan Ferguson should entice a willing spearhead.
But who will be delegated the mission of reviving Ireland’s fortunes after three years of decline?
Director of Football Marc Canham will be the man to lead the hunt. Serious candidates are to be interviewed too by chief executive Jonathan Hill and a board representative, likely Packie Bonner, chairperson of the FAI’s international and high-performance committee.
Highly-regarded in the UK, where being constantly employed over 12 years at Coventry City, Brentford, Birmingham City, Manchester City and the English FA.
Those credentials were boosted when the former Ireland midfielder led England to their first U21 Euro title in the summer, something that eluded some exalted predecessors for 39 years.
Critics will point to a lack of continuity in posts but without knowledge that he extracted himself from contention to upgrade from caretaker boss at both Brentford and Birmingham City. Wouldn’t have the wow factor either – seemingly still a prerequisite in the minds of influencers.
Possession is in his favour. Only graduated from the U21 staff this year but unlike Keith Andrews, who won’t be retained, O’Shea had never worked with Kenny previously. Commands huge respect from his playing days and has adopted the patient approach to coaching, fulfilling assistant’s jobs at Reading and more recently Stoke City. Holds a UEFA executive masters and Pro License too.
: Yet to be the gaffer. This time will come too soon and he’d have seen the perils of Steve Staunton jumping straight in. More likely to maintain a similar role under the new boss.
A holy trinity of Keane spells with the Irish team cannot be discounted. Box office allure is unmatched and his success at Sunderland was only slightly tarnished during his second and last job at Ipswich Town. Is available and eager to accept a venture back into management.
Combustibility. It will never leave him despite the mellowing that’s supposed to come after hitting 50. Keane’s role in the spat with Jonathan Walters and Harry Arter towards the end of his Ireland spell hasn’t been forgotten either.
: A steady, rather than spectacular pair of hands, who from the Euro ’88 squad went on to rival Mick McCarthy as the most successful graduate into management. Stints at Birmingham City, Norwich City and especially Brighton and Hove Albion were deemed successes while he was generally considered to have been hard done by when Newcastle United ended his tenure in 2010.
The major stain on his CV was Hughton’s last club job, a short-lived one at Nottingham Forest. That Steve Cooper transformed the side he inherited from bottom of the Championship to promotion over a season was an indictment on the Ireland defender. Age, being 64, isn’t on his side and is currently on a job managing Ghana.
: One of the only two Irish-born managers in the English Football League (other being Graham Coughlan at Newport County), his colourful lifestyle after becoming in 1995 the most expensive teenager in UK history has served him well in management.
Won 34 caps, he’s operated support roles at Ipswich Town, Manchester City, Birmingham City as well as boss of Macclesfield before his current post at Lincoln City. Has worked wonders on a shoestring budget relative to rivals, currently sitting eight in the table.
: League One is hardly an audition for the demands of qualifying for World Cups and Euro championships. Even he might admit the switch to the Ireland post is too early in his burgeoning career and content to navigate the lower tiers dominated by management instability.
: Plentiful. Initially a reluctant convert to coaching, he’s taken the circuitous road by overseeing underage teams at Shamrock Rovers, Celtic and Shelbourne before leading the latter’s senior team since the start of 2022. Shares the superstar appeal of Keane but has the advantage of being currently active on the market, overachieving with results and identifiable for a distinct style identity.
: Like Kenny, only has League of Ireland experience on his CV. Going that road again after the last attempt backfired will caution the FAI and much will depend on what he projects during what’s sure to be a lively interview.
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