NEW BOSS WILL HAVE HIS ’SHEA
CONGRATULATIONS and very best of luck to John o’shea as Ireland’s interim Head Coach for the next two games.
An appointment that seems to have followed a fabulous search far and wide, scouring points north, east, south and west, taking in Champions League club employees and some in far smaller corners of UEFA and beyond.
Turns out there was no need to jet to far-away climes, exotic destinations, no horrible airport stopovers, five-star hotels or even taxis necessary.
Because a three-months-plus trawl ended with the Abbottstown-based football association locating their man...living 20km away in Maynooth.
Prepare
Still, O’shea’s appointment has been greeted with general enthusiasm by the long-suffering Ireland fans.
If it had been made 8/10 weeks back he might have had more chance to prepare for Belgium this evening (5.0) and Switzerland next Tuesday night (7.45).
Happily, though, this appointment may yet backfire on the FAI.
And O’shea, despite being given very little time to get organised could be successful — post two wins in front of the people who actually care the most about Irish football.
That would be those who buy tickets, who shell out their hardearned money to turn up and watch a team that has been in irresistible decline for the last, long, long while.
This, by the way, is not a new cadre; when Ireland were even worse there was always hardy support, there was always travelling support.
Take a look at photos of away terraces in the late 1970’s and all through the
1980’s before
Ireland had ever qualified for anything.
Consider this: Two wins would set O’shea up nicely, rally a fan base that likes the idea John O’shea has broken bread at the very top table of professional football — and who’s most likely go-to phone call if really perplexed about something would be to Alex Ferguson.
Talk
Is it a secret that Ireland once had a manager whom Ferguson refused to give his mobile number to; a manager forced to ring the main Old Trafford switchboard if there was anything he wanted to talk about. O’shea is 8/1 to be the next Ireland manager, which is a higher price than Ireland to beat Belgium and Switzerland — a double which is hovering about 5/2 and 6/4 respectively. Given the contenders ahead of O’shea in the betting list are Willy Sagnol (6/4), Gus Poyet (7/2)...
‘O’shea is a favourite of the Ireland fans’
And those behind him are Lee Carsley (9/1), Anthony Barry (10/1), Robbie Keane (12/1), Slaven Bilic (14/1), Rafa Benitez, Paul Clement (16/1) and the ever-so marmite Roy Keane at 33/1...
That 8/1 on O’shea could be a lot shorter in five days time on a former player who is the winner hands down on the ‘show me your medals’ stakes.
Clamour
He is a UEFA Champions League winner, a five-time Premier League winner, an FA Cup medallist, has won two League Cups and was an UEFA Under-16 Euros winner as well.
He can’t be told much about what it is like to play international soccer for Ireland, he has 118 caps, scoring three goals along the way. Two wins and the clamour may be too much for the FAI to ignore!
Meanwhile, looking across to
Dublin’s ‘other’ big stadium, Dublin’s footballers, who have looked the best team in the country this last while, are good value to beat Tyrone at Croke Park.
Look to get on the handicap (-5 at evens, -4 at 4/5) as they aim to make no mistakes about making the Division 1 final.
Kerry are in an odd spot when it comes to making that League final, they have to win against Galway at Fitzgerald Park and hope Tyrone draw with or beat Dublin.
Is that enough to suggest there may be some Kerry fringe players on for a long second-half spell and give Galway, searching for a draw to ensure they will be in this division next season, a chance of coming away with something?
The Tribesmen are a hefty 7/2 to win but if that’s to transpire they will need others backing up main scorer Cillian Ó Curraoin.
Cork have been an interesting case study these past few outings and three wins on the spin could be worth backing to become four against Armagh in their Division 2 encounter tonight at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
Armagh have already secured promotion, made the League final, and might be tempted to utilise a wider squad. Cork at 5/6 looks enticing.
Prudent
Down and Clare looks like it could be the most interesting match of the day, a winnertakes-all in terms of promotion to Division 2 at Pairc Esler.
Clare are a mighty 4/1 to get the job done away from home, although a more timid approach of taking them on the handicap (+5 10/11) might be more prudent.
This is the last round of Rugby Union’s URC before the Heineken Champions Cup kicks back in over the following two weekends, firstly with the Round of 16 and then the quarterfinals.
There are only two Irish clubs left in the competition with Leinster hosting Leicester Tigers and the winners meeting either Stormers are La Rochelle.
Munster travel to Northampton, with the winners meeting either Bulls or Lyon.
Leo Cullen and Graham Rowntree’s clubs occupy contrasting positions in the betting, Leinster at 2/1 joint-favourites (alongside Toulouse) and Munster pitched at 22/1.
Given their next two fixtures Leinster are poor value at this point but if you fancy Peter O’mahony adding to his May 2023 URC and March 2024 Six Nations trophy wins that price would tumble significantly were they to win at Franklin’s Gardens.