Heimir Hallgrímsson appointed new Ireland manager

Heimir Hallgrímsson Pic via FAI

Heimir Hallgrímsson is to become the new Republic of Ireland senior men’s manager, the FAI have confirmed.

The Icelandic coach most recently worked as manager of Jamaica before stepping down earlier this month after the team’s poor performance at the Copa America. He had been in the position for two years.

His final game was a 3-0 loss to Venezuela, leaving the ‘Reggae Boyz’ pointless from their three games in the competition.

Welcome to Ireland Heimir Hallgrímsson 🇮🇪

Our new Ireland MNT Head Coach 💚 pic.twitter.com/aKZMMOPtyL

— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) July 10, 2024

Hallgrímsson, 57, was on the coaching staff of Iceland’s national team from 2013-16, during Lars Lagerbäck’s spell as coach, including for the 2016 European Championship defeat of England.

He took over as manager when Lagerbäck left for Norway and Hallgrímsson led Iceland to qualification for the 2018 World Cup, as they became the smallest nation to reach the finals. He stepped down after that tournament as Iceland failed to emerge from their group.

Heimir Hallgrimsson while head coach of Jamaica (Photo by Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

A former defender, he also coached Qatar’s Al-Arabi from 2018-21.

The FAI has confirmed Hallgrímsson's first game in charge will be the meeting with England on September 7.

His appointment will end the FAI’s 231-day search for a replacement for Stephen Kenny, who left his job as Ireland boss following failure to qualify for Euro 2024.

Commenting on his appointment, Heimir Hallgrímsson said, “It is an honour to be appointed Head Coach of the Ireland Senior Men’s National Team. Ireland is rightly a proud footballing nation which has consistently produced talented players and enjoyed many memorable moments at major international tournaments.

"We have a young and exciting team that has genuine potential. I am looking forward to working closely with the players to help coach and guide them towards improved performances and results ensuring we qualify and compete at major tournaments on a regular basis. We have important and exciting games coming up in the UEFA Nations League later this year and a massive FIFA World Cup qualification campaign coming up next year.

“Finally, I am also looking forward to getting to know the people of Ireland and in particular the wonderful fans of Irish football. It is my responsibility to coach, prepare and develop our team as best as possible to deliver results on the pitch and to make our supporters happy and proud.” 

FAI Director of Football Marc Canham commented, “We are thrilled to announce Heimir as our new Head Coach. Earlier this year, we identified Heimir as our number one candidate whose capabilities and experience aligned with our criteria. Not only does Heimir have significant experience at international level with two different countries, but crucially he also has a track record of qualifying for major international tournaments and taking teams up the FIFA World rankings.

“It was also important for us that we recruited a Head Coach who is interested in the overall development of football in Ireland as outlined in the FAI’s football pathways plan and in particular someone who is interested in the development of our underage international teams both of which Heimir is hugely passionate about.

“I also want to thank and pay tribute to John O’Shea and his staff who have guided the team through recent friendly internationals preparing the team impeccably, creating a brilliant environment for the players and achieving positive results on the pitch.” 

FAI Interim CEO David Courell added, “This is a significant day for Irish football with the announcement of Heimir as our new head coach. There has been huge interest in this appointment which ultimately is testament to how much people care about Irish football. We are delighted to have secured a Head Coach with the experience we were seeking but more importantly one that shares our vision for Irish Football. Heimir was the outstanding candidate, and I am hugely excited at what he brings to the role.”