Former Manchester United defender John O’Shea has been named as the interim head coach of the Republic of Ireland men’s national team, following the departure of Stephen Kenny. O’Shea, who is currently a first-team coach at Birmingham City, will take over the reins until the end of the season, while the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) searches for a permanent successor.
O’Shea, who earned 118 caps for his country and scored three goals, is one of the most decorated Irish players of all time, having won five Premier League titles, one FA Cup, two League Cups, four Community Shields, the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Champions League with Manchester United. He also played in three major tournaments for the Republic of Ireland, reaching the quarter-finals of the 1990 World Cup and the last 16 of Euro 2016.
The 41-year-old has been involved in coaching since his retirement from playing in 2019, when he joined the Reading staff as a coach. He later moved to Stoke City, where he worked as an assistant to Michael O’Neill, before joining Birmingham City in January 2024. He has also been part of the Republic of Ireland under-21 setup since 2020, working alongside Jim Crawford.
O’Shea will face a tough challenge in his first assignment as the interim boss, as he prepares to lead the Republic of Ireland in two friendly matches against Hungary and Portugal in March. The FAI hopes to appoint a new permanent manager before the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign in September, where the Republic of Ireland will face Belgium, Switzerland, Cyprus and Montenegro in Group E.
