It’s far from ideal to inaugurate a fresh phase in Irish football shrouded in secrecy. After 231 days of speculation, within only two frantic days, the dialogue around the Republic of Ireland’s men’s manager undergoes a total transformation. Apparently, Heimir Hallgrímsson was always their preferred choice.
Critics might dub this as yet another skilful diversion by the FAI. It’s known that Lee Carsley was approached prior to Hallgrímsson, and names like Willy Sagnol and Roy Keane were also up for consideration.
The latest Irish manager warranted a more favourable public introduction, particularly after the challenges he faced in Jamaica. Ideally, his initial press conference should have only been dealing with the upcoming September games against England and Greece. However, his employers bewilderingly explained his appointment coinciding with the week RTÉ aired a show on the supposed historical mistreatment of Irish female players by male coaches.
It’s fair for Hallgrímsson to clarify his remarks about Mason Greenwood, with him stating it was a “political answer” given to placate the Jamaican FA who tried luring the ex-Manchester United player. This response in itself raises questions: What is Hallgrímsson prepared to say to remain in FAI’s good books?
England vs Ireland – Euro 2025 qualifier live
Kevin Kilbane: Heimir Hallgrímsson warranted a more favourable public introduction
Rhasidat Adeleke clinches impressive 400m win at the Monaco Diamond League
Commemorating Zara Murphy (13), a devoted sportsperson, who tragically passed away during a soccer match in Co Louth.
The choice of the Icelander is noteworthy, possessing a commendable reputation. However, infuriatingly, the Director of Football at FAI, Marc Canham, has treated John O’Shea in the same dismissive manner as he did earlier this year.
John shouldered enormous responsibility for the association as Canham had been in hiding since February. John commenced his managerial journey against Belgium and Switzerland, most likely aware he was just filling in until Jamaica was eliminated from this summer’s Copa America.
Last spring, Canham reached out to O’Shea via YouTube, offering him the opportunity to remain the temporary manager for Ireland in their forthcoming games against Hungary and Portugal. Now it’s July, and Hallgrímsson publicly suggests that John take up the position of deputy coach. However, shouldn’t it be more sensible and respectful to await O’Shea’s response before his name is tossed around?
Regardless of O’Shea’s involvement, the six Nations League fixtures are fast approaching. Little hope is held for the match against England, but games against Greece and Finland should be on a par with Ireland, at least in FIFA world rankings. To finish second in this group would mark a success.
One glaring issue presents itself: Hallgrímsson’s unfamiliarity with the names of the Irish players. Despite a recruitment process spanning 231 days, the transition appears rather hasty. Shouldn’t he have conducted his research by this point, considering he’d potentially take on the role since March?
Despite these hurdles, Hallgrímsson is likely relieved to have left Jamaica following the federation’s shock suspension of Leon Bailey, the Aston Villa winger, who labelled them as “unprofessional” as he organises his own transport for international fixtures. Jamaica’s triumph over Canada in the two-legged Copa qualification last November must have been a relief – a win I reported on live from Toronto, where fortune smiled on the Jamaicans as Canada crumbled. Ireland’s luck might just be changing with a fortunate coach at its helm.
Jesse Marsch has led Canada to the Copa’s semi-finals by implementing the Red Bull methods, a miraculous feat. Before his short spell at Leeds United, Marsch honed his coaching skills at RB New York, Salzburg and Leipzig over a span of six years. This backs up Austria manager Ralf Rangnick’s notion that the Red Bull approach works at the international stage.
In anticipation, I hope Hallgrímsson will introduce a clear playing style for the Irish team to adopt. His strategy for Jamaica over Canada was a simple 4-4-2, mostly targeting Bailey and, more recently, West Ham forward Michail Antonio.
Evidently, a significant amount of preparation time is allocated to set pieces. This does not diminish the value of this practice if it yields fruitful outcomes, but Jamaica ended their Copa journey with a hat-trick of losses, only managing to secure a single goal against nations like Mexico, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Players representing the Reggae Boyz are of similar calibre to those from Ireland across various positions, but achieving qualification cannot be considered an enormous accomplishment.
In the 2016 European Championships, Iceland was jointly managed by a former dentist and Swedish strategist, Lars Lagerbäck. Football enthusiasts will recollect this duo orchestrating England’s defeat in the round of 16. His capacity as the solo manager of Iceland is indisputable. In 2018, he led them to the World Cup, leading the group stages against Croatia and securing a 1-1 draw against Messi-led Argentina during the pool stages.
This appointment warrants support. The mismanaged announcement by the FAI, and the decision to retain O’Shea can be overlooked if Hallgrímsson successfully harnesses the talents of Chiedozie Ogbene, Nathan Collins, Caoimhín Kelleher, and Evan Ferguson.
When Amhrán na bhFiann rings out on September 7th, the audience should reciprocate with a Thunderclap, reminding them of the worst recent years in English football history. However, England’s defeat to Iceland turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it led to the appointment of Gareth Southgate and a consequent second successive appearance in the Euros final in Berlin. Long live Spain.
It is recommended for all to tune into the Copa final between Argentina and Colombia late Sunday night. The South American fervour that Miami exudes is captivating. It has been a remarkable tournament, filled with spectators’ clashes, on-pitch head butts, showering of yellow and red cards, Colombia demonstrating a tempo not seen before and what could arguably be the best Argentinian team ever.