John O’Shea, the interim manager of Ireland’s Republic, exudes an aura of self-assuredness and proves that he possesses the tactical finesse to hold the position permanently. While he never imagined he’d begin his coaching career in quite this way, he always had an innate desire to lead a team.
With the calm demeanor of a Manchester United veteran, O’Shea absolves his neophyte Premier League attacker of any guilt for not turning the game in Ireland’s favour against Belgium in Dublin. He went on to comment that 19-year-old Evan Ferguson delivered an impressive performance on the field, recovering with aplomb from a failed penalty shot that was saved by Belgian goalkeeper, Matz Sels.
For O’Shea, having a top-level striker is straightforward; they are the default choice to take penalties. When an opportunity for a penalty arose due to Arthur Vermeeren’s handball, Robbie Brady took the ball, seemingly to shield Ferguson from the pressure of taking the penalty shot. After all, Ferguson had not scored for Brighton in the previous 119 days.
In analysing the scenario, O’Shea shared that the slip just before the shot impacted Ferguson’s attempt, leading to an unfortunate miss. Yet, he did not allow it to dampen his spirits. He swiftly regained his composure and continue to play with conviction. It demonstrates his bravery, something that O’Shea commended.
Ferguson also had an unfortunate miss in the second half, despite being in an excellent position. The halftime strategy was designed to encourage Ireland to press Belgium as quickly as possible, resulting in a superb kickoff and a remarkable pass from Brady – albeit slightly too high. However, despite the mishaps, the move was tactically sound, bearing testimony to the skills of the players and their manager.
Querying Ferguson’s performance, it was simply put as being standard. Ready to get back in action when needed, he might deal with a phase of few months without a goal in about five or six years, that’s common for top scorers. Once he’s back in sync with scoring, he’ll continue in stride.
O’Shea has consistently been a remarkable figure, especially when he emerged post a nil-nil draw against a Belgian team hopeful of a win in the coming Euros in Germany. As he sat in the Aviva press room, one could sense he embodied exactly what Irish football required.
Marc Canham, the FAI director of football, had given Eileen Gleeson a temporary position as the women’s manager in December, as relayed to the press by the association. However, she picked up permanency after her team started to register wins successively, now leading up to Euro 2025.
Canham has hinted at a similar meticulous, confidential recruiting process for the men’s team manager to replace the interim one soon.
Commenting on Ireland’s unsuccessful attempts to score despite good opportunities for Ferguson and Chiedozie Ogbene, O’Shea expressed frustration. Although Belgium possessed the ball considerably, Ireland was optimistic about doing damage on the counter-attack. Capitalising on those opportunities could have made Belgium vulnerable and ripe for exploitation. Feelings were mixed during the Dublin match against Belgium; satisfied with holding them off but also slight disappointment.
Prior to O’Shea’s press interaction, Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco had to justify his team’s difficulty in playing against the world’s 62nd-ranked football country, given Belgium is fourth-ranked. Tedesco said the game lacked rhythm and incisiveness.
On hearing Tedesco’s remarks about his team’s poor performance, O’Shea retorted that Ireland had the best opportunities and they already knew their opponents would opt for a 4-3-3 formation. Queried if he feared any player from the Ireland team, Tedesco replied, “I am never afraid of anyone.”
The Red Devils’ golden era has been marked by an extensive spell of underperformance. The young mentor still needs to affirm to Belgians that he is able to succeed in high-profile competitions.
“We are approaching the Euros,” remarked Tedesco. “There is a need for fresh strategies. I managed to glean significant insights from the match. We have crucial choices to confront.”
The FAI also stands at a crossroad, facing an impending major decision. Unless it has been already finalised. Despite the steadfast confidentiality of the proceedings, O’Shea seemed to fit the role perfectly on his debut night as the boss.