Heimir Hallgrimsson: 'He’s my first choice but it’s tough for him to make that decision'

Heimir Hallgrimsson has asked John O'Shea to be his assistant coach.

ROCK AND ROLL: Newly appointed Republic of Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson has asked John O'Shea to be his assistant coach as he prepares to rock and roll with Ireland. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Sweet music was hummed by the new Ireland manager promising to treat the public to rock and roll during his reign.

While the spotlight was on Marc Canham to untangle the mess that was an elongated search for Stephen Kenny’s successor, Heimir Hallgrimsson hit all the right notes on stage.

Every topic flung his way – and there were plenty over an hour at Lansdowne Road – was greeted with frank answers.

He could easily have bluffed his way through by trumpeting his knowledge of Ireland’s games and players. Yet there was refreshing honesty by admitting he hadn’t watched the four friendlies live despite being initially approached within weeks of Stephen Kenny’s departure last November. “I'm not going to say I'm an expert,” he acknowledged.

Giovanni Trapattoni’s vow to eradicate the “little details” upon his arrival in 2008 wasn’t borrowed.

There was also the risk of him keeping Ireland waiting.

“By telling the FAI I wouldn’t be ready until after the Copa America with Jamaica, I realised Ireland could actually take another coach. Maybe the job would not be there when I was available so I feel lucky it ended this way.” 

That tactic also narrowed the preparatory spell before meeting England and Greece in the opening Uefa Nations League matches in early September.

“Surely, surely, of course it is difficult,” he said about abseiling straight into competitive fare, the first against the Euro finalists.

“You would always like to have friendlies to prepare the team but I had a commitment to Jamaica. I informed the President before the Copa that I would stop after the tournament; not telling the players or anyone to ensure we could focus on the tournament.” 

"We probably don’t have enough time for September but we will try to do our best.

“Normally I am a hard worker so I will do everything to be ready myself.” 

Having reached the Euros and World Cup with Iceland, the allure of the Copa America was decisive in the 57-year-old staying on.

Strangely, it was after one of Jamaica’s highpoints – the Concacaf Nations League aggregate win over Canada last November – that he decided on his exit strategy from a contract that also encompassed the 2026 World Cup.

“We didn't feel that environment was good,” he revealed about the camp.

“There were a lot of things contributing to that but it was exciting to go and finish the Nations League.

“We almost went to the final in the Nations League. It was just the last touch of normal time that USA scored so we ended up playing the third-place play-off and beat Panama.

“Then, having the opportunity to go to the Copa America, a big, big tournament, a big experience both for me and them.

“It was a successful journey and we changed a lot of things within the organisation, in what we called our bubble. We tried to protect the players with us: saying 'maybe this isn't going to change but we’ll stick together'.” 

Two offers twitched his antenna and he settled on Ireland once they were eliminated at the group stage.

Ireland’s offers most appealed and he’s pragmatic to appreciate local knowledge is essential, hence his video call with John O’Shea within hours of his official announcement on Wednesday.

As the Ireland centurion was a contender himself, heightened by four friendlies in caretaker charge, Hallgrimsson accepts the comedown isn’t straightforward while he awaits an answer.

“For me as a foreigner, it is really helpful to have an Irish assistant that knows the culture, knows the players and John would be the perfect candidate in my opinion,” he noted.

“Of course, with him being the head coach in four games, I understand it’s difficult for him to now be assistant coach. He’s my first choice but it’s tough for him to make that decision.” 

O’Shea’s coaches Paddy McCarthy, Glenn Whelan and Rene Gilmartin are also wanted for the purpose of continuity but Brian Kerr’s March return will be consigned to a cameo. “That was always intended for an interim period,” confirmed Canham in relation to the veteran’s function as technical advisor to rookie O’Shea.

Now that he’s here – at Tolka Park on Thursday, Cork on Tuesday soon to set up permanent residence with his wife Iris – what can Irish fans expect from the man possessing the top job in Irish sport?

His contract is short – covering up to the conclusion of the World Cup series rather than the four year former chief executive Jonathan Hill floated – so substance rather than style is supreme.

“I like high-energy football, a bit of rock and roll,” he retorted.

“You need an organised unit and I have good experience in organising teams. Team unity, spirit, teamwork is something you can always build on.

“The first thing you must do is build a working environment – this is how play, train, dress, talk to the media etc.

“Each principle will always be the same when you come to play for Ireland despite some players going six months between camps and having 500 team meetings at their clubs.” 

Asked if the newcomer’s principles matched that of the FAI, Canham said: “In really simple terms, if we’d spoken to Heimir and he wanted to play a way that was completely different to what’s in our heads then he wouldn’t be sat here. So there’s an alignment in terms of what we want the game to be.” 

All they’ve to do is chime those musical notes on paper into a number one hit.