Who’s taking care while the final push for the chosen one intensifies?

John Fallon talks us through Ireland's latest coaching ticket.

SUPPORTING CAST: Paddy McCarthy on the touchline during the Premier League match at Goodison Park. Pic: Peter Byrne, PA Wire.

John O’Shea (Head Coach): Five Premier Leagues, a Champions League and FA Cup medal were the Waterford man’s bedrock for migrating into coaching and on Saturday, March 23 the international centurion will pick his first team when Ireland meet Belgium in a friendly.  Supportive roles in the Championship at Reading, Stoke City and Birmingham City swelled his CV, as did similar stints for Ireland U21s and the last year of Stephen Kenny’s tenure.

Paddy McCarthy (Assistant Coach): Two years younger than O’Shea at 40, he was also a teen centre-back exported to Manchester but left City for a long career elsewhere before developing a penchant for coaching.  He’s elevated from U18 to U21 and senior coach at Crystal Palace – earning his Uefa Pro License from the FAI last year – and was caretaker for the recent Premier League draw at Everton.