Shay Given: FAI could've handled John O'Shea situation better

O'Shea will continue as the Republic of Ireland's interim manager for the upcoming friendlies in June.

HANDLED BETTER: Shay Given believes the FAI’s handling of John O’Shea’s interim spell in charge of the Republic of Ireland has not been ideal. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Shay Given believes the FAI’s handling of John O’Shea’s interim spell in charge of the Republic of Ireland has not been ideal and hopes his former international teammate has received some assurances on what the future holds for the men’s senior side.

O’Shea was initially given the Ireland reins on a temporary basis in February for their home friendlies against Belgium and Switzerland in March while the FAI prepared to announce Stephen Kenny’s permanent successor in April.

But instead, last month FAI director of football Marc Canham confirmed that they hoped to appoint a new boss by the start of the UEFA Nations League campaign on September 7, when they host England at the Aviva Stadium.

It was later confirmed that Given’s former teammate and fellow Irish centurion would remain in charge for the friendly double-header at home to Hungary and away to Portugal in June.

And speaking on Wednesday, the Donegal native admitted the whole saga could have been handled better by the FAI.

“I don't know the ins and outs behind the scenes," began Given, who was speaking in association with Just Eat ahead of the Europa League final in Dublin.

"John was brought in for the two games in June with a new manager to be announced in April, that's now changed to September and they've gone back to John for the two games in June.

“The March games didn't go to plan, in terms of getting wins, but the training and the set-up, the stuff behind the scenes that we don't want to see on matchday with John and the staff was very smooth.

“I don't know if it was handled very well, the announcement that the new manager was coming in and we were all waiting on tenterhooks, in an ideal world you'd get it announced in April like they said they would.

“it's more questions than answers, they went back to John again which John agreed to, but what's the long-term plan for John? Is he going to be involved with the new manager? Has he been promised something?

“I don't have any answers to that but you’d like to think that with John going back in for June he's had some reassurances that he will be kept on under a new manager, but that's only me reading between the lines.

“John has been a brilliant servant to the country and it's very difficult to turn this down. That's the road John wants to go down as a manager and coaching, I went a different route with media work.

“The first question I'd ask him is; what guarantees have you been given going forward?

“John is looking at the bigger picture of the country. It could have been dealt with better, if they'd said at the start of March ‘we want you for these four games and make a decision after that’, that would have been better but the way it's been handled has not been ideal.”