John O'Shea outlines ambition to become a manager
Ireland centurion John O’Shea has outlined his ambition to become a manager – once he’s finished learning from the likes of Wayne Rooney.
The pair of former Manchester United teammates have reunited at Birmingham City, the third assistant job in the Championship O’Shea has taken on since retiring four years ago.
He’s complemented that experience with international exposure, initially in a similar capacity for Ireland’s Under-21 before spending the last nine months of Stephen Kenny’s senior reign on his backroom staff.
The 42-year-old doesn’t appear to be in the mix for the current Ireland vacancy created by Kenny’s recent departure but does foresee himself progressing to a standalone role.
O’Shea has seen both side of the managerial spectrum – switching from a club where he’d played under one boss to Sunderland in 2011 where nine, plus two caretakers, were barking out the orders over nine years.
He’s been picky about accepting offers, revealing he previously rejected an offer from Kenny to step up until this year.
That campaign ended disappointingly, not only losing to France and Netherlands but twice to lower seeds Greece too.
“Hopefully the future sees me taking a role of head coach,” the Waterford native said in Dublin at the weekend, when he was guest of honour at the PFAI Ireland awards.
“I hope that’s where it leads me in the future but I’m very happy at the minute.
“I remember talking to Stephen about taking my time, not rushing into something and ensure I worked with people and learned from them.
"Fingers crossed, the timing is right and I take a job somewhere. That’ll be key. If it happens, it happens but if not, C’est La Vie. Hopefully it does some day.
“When I spoke to Stephen a few years ago, I was with the
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