Hungary victory has gilded O'Shea's CV but FAI keeping their options open

There’s just one friendly left to play, against Portugal, and how O’Shea fares against the might of his former Manchester United teammate Ronaldo and Co will also figure in the criteria

IMPROVED STANDING: John O'Shea after his side's victory in the international friendly against Hungary at Aviva Stadium.

John O’Shea’s arduous audition for the top job in Irish sport takes him to a reunion with Cristiano Ronaldo but the FAI are keeping their options open.

By the time next Tuesday’s friendly in Aveiro – Portugal’s send-off for the Euros – concludes, O’Shea will have squared up against four of Europe’s top-14 nations.

His managerial debut was against a Belgium side ranked second of Uefa’s 55 nations in March, when they came within an Evan Ferguson missed penalty from a successful start to his interim reign.

Xherdan Shaqiri’s free-kick downed Ireland three days later to give 10th-ranked Switzerland a narrow victory before Hungary, situated four places behind, had their 14-game unbeaten run ended by Troy Parrot’s stoppage-time winner.

That 2-1 victory has unquestionably gilded the 43-year-old’s CV at a time the FAI headhunters are reverting to square one in the long pursuit of Stephen Kenny’s successor.

Not since the 2017 World Cup qualifier win in Wales had Ireland overcome such a gulf in Fifa seedings, 60 versus Hungary’s 26, to prevail. Their only two wins in the previous 11 matches came against lowly Gibraltar.

There’s just one friendly left to play, against a Portugal side behind just France, Belgium and England in the standings, and how O’Shea fares against the might of his former Manchester United teammate Ronaldo and Co will also figure in the criteria.

In the same way Tuesday’s result wasn’t a deal clincher or breaker, neither is next week’s run-out.

What O’Shea can stand over by then is his schooling in senior waters entailed tackling four teams on their way to this month’s Euros – a quartet, on paper at least based on rankings, tipped to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

It’s understood there are no plans to appoint a permanent manager before the European Championships kick off on Friday week.

The FAI have sounded out some bosses at the finals in Germany, such as Georgia chief Willy Sagnol, and a couple of candidates have emerged since the conclusion of the club seasons around Europe.

One of those is David Moyes. Albeit the Scot will have more lucrative offers tabled after recently finishing his second stint at West Ham United, at 61 the international beat could appeal.

He previously assisted the FAI teaching their Uefa Pro License course and remains on friendly terms with some influential figures involved in the recruitment. Moyes also has history with O’Shea, operating as Sunderland manager during the twilight of his Premier League career at Sunderland. FAI Director of Football Marc Canham has spoken of retaining the caretaker boss on the new manager’s staff.

Another contender still in the conversation is Slaven Bilić. The former Croatia manager still has a year left on his contract with Saudi club Al Fateh and didn’t nibble when the initial package was broached earlier in the year.

The FAI, however, have been saving most of the Kenny’s €560,000 salary since releasing him last November and within the interim finally landed a new sponsorship of the men’s team by Sky expanding their package from solely the women’s portfolio.

O’Shea suggested last week that his developmental phase of being an assistant coach was over once requested by Canham to remain in charge for this second pair of double-headers. That call was made after the FAI’s plans to appoint either Sagnol or Gus Poyet in April fell asunder.

His language has altered accordingly too, finally speaking in a timeframe beyond these warm-up matches.

“I’ll be clear on it,” he said in the aftermath of his first win.

“If it's a certain scenario that I do get the job - or myself and the staff did get the job - there's lots to be positive about in terms of planning and prepping, “We also know there's still players that can do a job for Ireland that are maybe thinking, 'is my time done?'

“No is the answer because we need experience. We had that experience on the pitch to beat a very good Hungary side.” 

An end-of-season friendly – although against a Hungarian team starting all bar two of their strongest XI – won’t define this probationary period for O’Shea but it’s evident those advocating his fast-tracking will cite it to justify his appointment if the hunt continues to run cold as June gives way to July.