The Republic of Ireland have locked in the brains trust behind their rebuild, with coaches John O'Shea, Paddy McCarthy and Gudmundur Hreidarsson all extending their contracts through to 2028.
The trio will stay alongside head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson for the full Euro 2028 qualifying cycle, a campaign that carries extra weight with the tournament being staged in the UK and Ireland. Continuity, at last, is the word around the camp.
“Since I arrived, John, Paddy, and Gummi have been an incredible support to me and integral to everything we are building here,” he said, underlining how deeply embedded the trio already are in the project. “Their knowledge of the players and the Irish game is invaluable. I am delighted that we will continue to work together to drive this team forward and achieve the results our fans deserve.”
O'Shea, the former Manchester United defender, has become a central figure in the setup. He took charge of four matches as interim boss in 2024, steadying the side during a period of uncertainty before Hallgrimsson’s appointment. Now he moves firmly back into the coaching ranks, but with a clear sense of ownership.
He called the extension an “honour” and framed the next four years as a rare opportunity. “It is an incredibly exciting time for Irish football, and I am fully focused on helping lead this team toward a major tournament on home soil at Uefa Euro 2028,” he said.
McCarthy will continue to juggle his international responsibilities with his role at Crystal Palace, a dual workload that keeps him close to Premier League trends and talent. Hreidarsson, long respected for his tactical eye and intensity on the training ground, remains a key voice in shaping Ireland’s style under Hallgrimsson.
The message from the Football Association is clear: no more stop-start cycles, no more short-term fixes. Ireland want a coaching unit that grows with a young squad and carries it all the way to a home European Championship.
The first steps in that journey come quickly. Later this month, the Republic of Ireland open their Uefa Nations League campaign with fixtures against Kosovo, Israel and Austria — early tests of a backroom team now tied to the long game, but under pressure to deliver right away.
