The campaign to appoint the next manager of Ireland’s football team has unexpectedly thrown Ole Gunnar Solskjaer into the limelight. It had largely been anticipated that the full-time role might go to John O’Shea. However, a sudden increase in bets placed on Solskjaer implies that the ex-Manchester United colleagues could potentially be named manager and coach by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI).
The suggestions of candidacy for the former Norwegian striker heightened when Paddy Power cut his chances to 8/15 on a recent Friday. Still, it’s essential to remember that bookies have made numerous errors throughout the 142-day hunt to find a replacement for Stephen Kenny. Current rankings show Steve Bruce at second favourite with 7/2, with O’Shea holding third place at 6/1.
Solksjaer has been without work since his tenure as Manchester United’s manager ended in November 2021. He has previously managed for two intervals at Molde FK and oversaw just 30 fixtures at Cardiff City in 2013 where his squad suffered 16 defeats. Solskjaer recently reflected on his past, “Managing Manchester United for three years, it’s like where next? I long for that pressure again, missing the games is challenging.”
Meanwhile, O’Shea has been slated to meet the press on Tuesday evening at Aviva Stadium as a representative for the Uefa Europa League trophy’s promotional Irish tour. The final of the Europa League will be held at Aviva on the 22nd of May. The FAI, however, has not directly associated O’Shea’s presence in Dublin with the forthcoming announcement of Ireland’s new manager, which is expected next Wednesday or Thursday.
Potential candidates for the vacant post include the under-21 coach for England, Lee Carsley, Bayern Munich’s helper Anthony Barry, and Gus Poyet, the manager of Greece. Each of them came into the picture after November. Despite a “solid, confidential” hiring operation headed by the FAI CEO, Jonathan Hill, and football director, Marc Canham, no proposed candidate agreed to sign the four-year contract leading Ireland into Euro 2028.
Canham subsequently named O’Shea as the temporary manager for the friendly matches in March against Belgium and Switzerland. After the 1-0 defeat to Switzerland, O’Shea, the ex-Manchester United defender, stated he was not considered for an interview to replace Kenny due to insufficient managerial experience.
John O’Shea confidently asserts his readiness and ability to take on a managerial role in the football world. “Given an opportunity, I would readily assume the responsibility of managing Ireland,” states O’Shea. He has already delved into coaching, ranking third under Kenny and his main assistant, Keith Andrews, in 2023. He has collected 118 caps for Ireland, which lends weight to his capability.
Furthermore, the 42-year-old brings relevant experience to the table, having held an assistant position under Ireland under-21s manager Jim Crawford for three years. After this, he secured a promotion to the senior squad. Moreover, O’Shea’s career extends to clubs like Stoke City and Birmingham City where he was teammates with esteemed footballer Wayne Rooney. His time at these clubs further underscores his potential to step into a managerial role.