Who’s taking care while the final push for the chosen one intensifies?
John O’Shea (Head Coach): Five Premier Leagues, a Champions League and FA Cup medal were the Waterford man’s bedrock for migrating into coaching and on Saturday, March 23 the international centurion will pick his first team when Ireland meet Belgium in a friendly. Supportive roles in the Championship at Reading, Stoke City and Birmingham City swelled his CV, as did similar stints for Ireland U21s and the last year of Stephen Kenny’s tenure.
Paddy McCarthy (Assistant Coach): Two years younger than O’Shea at 40, he was also a teen centre-back exported to Manchester but left City for a long career elsewhere before developing a penchant for coaching. He’s elevated from U18 to U21 and senior coach at Crystal Palace – earning his Uefa Pro License from the FAI last year – and was caretaker for the recent Premier League draw at Everton.
Glenn Whelan (Assistant Coach): More respected than adored over his 91 caps, the midfielder’s blend of steeliness, attitude and professionalism always marked him out as a future coach. That began under his former Manchester City teammate Joey Barton at Bristol City and continues with another, McCarthy, in this brief. Whelan, who only retired from playing last year at 39, is part of the FAI’s current Pro License intake.
Brian Kerr (Technical Advisor): A new role but far from a new face to the international scene, for Kerr’s FAI connection stretches back to the 1980s as the sidekick of U18 boss Liam Tuohy. In his own right, following two league titles at St Patrick’s Athletic, his return to FAI duty was glorious, finishing third at the U20 World Cup and claiming double Euro gold a year later with the U16 and U18s. Treated harshly by being dispensed after one full campaign in 2005, his
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