WORTH WAIT IF THEY GET IT SPOT JOHN
O’shea hopes end justifies the means in boss hunt saga
JOHN O’SHEA hopes the end justifies the means as the FAI’S managerial search rumbles on with increasing uncertainty.
But the interim boss for the March friendlies reckons anyone who has the Ireland team at heart will accept the protracted nature of the process if the right manager is found.
O’shea has made no secret of the fact that he wants the job on a permanent basis having managed the Boys in Green against Belgium and Switzerland last month.
A report last week claimed he was no longer in the full-time running, although yesterday O’shea insisted nobody in the FAI had told him that.
The saga to find Stephen Kenny’s successor is 147 days in the making today.
And after a slew of knockbacks, the FAI are no closer to making an announcement having shelved plans for a big reveal this week.
O’shea said: “Whoever the next permanent manager is going to be, we want them to be the right person for the job and to be someone who really wants the job.
“If that takes a bit of time, so be it. “For me, the Irish men’s senior international team has such a crucial role in Irish society.
“In terms of what you can do when you qualify for major tournaments and what you can bring to the country and the feelings around the world of Irish people.
“It’s been shown that they are taking their time, they are doing the process, and hopefully we get the right man in the end.”
While O’shea is keen to become a manager and would like this job, he is not ruling out a role on the next manager’s coaching staff.
“Marc (Canham, FAI Director of Football) has always suggested that for me, but what happens in football, you don’t know.
“When a manager comes in, I might get on great with him or I might not get on great with him. That’s no problem either way.
“Everyone is trying to have an educated guess – put two and two together, managers qualifying ( for Euros), managers not qualifying, this manager is out of work…..
“But I can’t update you on that. I don’t know if someone is coming in.”
O’shea added: “There have been some brilliant people mentioned (as contenders).
“Different people who I’ve worked with before, and played alongside. It will be interesting to see what happens but for me it is a case of wait and see.
“My thought process is I was given the two games and really enjoyed it, and now let’s see what happens.”