Almost eight months have passed since Stephen Kenny left the FAI, and it appears that they are still no closer to selecting the next permanent manager of the Republic of Ireland.
So far, this has been a rather ridiculous procedure.
The deadline for selecting Kenny’s replacement was set for the UEFA Nations League draw in February, following his resignation from the position back in November. After that passed (and John O’Shea was appointed in March as a temporary replacement), rumors circulated that a deal was almost finalized but could not be disclosed until early April because of “existing contractual obligations.”
It was evident that the procedure had been disastrous after that agreement fell through.
John O’Shea was still in charge for this month’s matches against Portugal and Hungary, but it appears that the FAI aren’t sure they want to keep him in that role long-term.
Indeed, at this point in the process, it’s being reported that the Association is still working through a rather long list of possible candidates.
According to the Irish Times, the FAI is presently considering Willy Sagnol, Slaven Bilic, Chris Hughton, Anthony Hudson, and John O’Shea for the position of next Ireland manager. They are currently working off a five-man shortlist.
Many believe that Sagnol was the FAI’s top pick for the position. There were rumors that this victory destroyed the ‘existing contractual commitments’ arrangement the FAI believed they had in place when he guided Georgia to an unexpected victory over Greece in the Euro 2024 play-offs back in March. The end of this summer’s competition marks the expiration of his contract with Georgia.
Slaven Bilic, who just resigned from his position in Saudi Arabia, was also previously connected to the position and is now free to accept it. Chris Hughton, who left Ghana early this year, is likewise unemployed.
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