John O'Shea to job-share as part of Wayne Rooney's backroom team
Keith Andrews has confirmed that John O’Shea’s role will be unaffected as he joins Wayne Rooney’s move to Birmingham City.
The Championship club’s American owners have been in negotiations with Rooney since he left MLS side DC United and Brum sacked successful manager John Eustace.
O’Shea is currently fulfilling the job on the Ireland coaching ticket once held briefly by Eustace but will be joined by Ashely Cole to assist Rooney for his new assignment in the Midlands.
Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has spoken at various stages about his preference for staff to have undivided attention to the international set-up but did compromise by permitting Anthony Barry to combine his time between Chelsea’s backroom team and Ireland.
A similar job-sharing arrangement is anticipated with O’Shea once the double-header against Greece and Gibraltar finishes on Monday, though the inevitable departure of Kenny before the end of the year complicates the landscape.
O’Shea had even been floated as a potential interim manager if the FAI relieved Kenny of his duties but there was apprehension among senior FAI officials about parachuting someone relatively fresh to the coaching scene into his first managerial job.
"Listen, he is in that role where you press the eject at some stage, don't you?,” said Andrews, speaking before confirmation of Rooney's move was confirmed. Andrews, Kenny’s No 2, has seen O’Shea become the fourth No 3 since graduating to the seniors from the U21s with Kenny in 2020.
“John is absolutely committed to this job. I know that for a fact. If the much hyped and talked about job at Birmingham City happens I don't see a change in his role here.
"I spoke to John about it. I don't want to get into his business but if John does go
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