JOHN O’SHEA always knew the Ireland job was a big deal.
But it has still been an eye-opener just how big.
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The interim Ireland head coach said: “The amount of people that I have met since I took the role, you realise . . . people spoke to me when I was playing for Ireland, how passionate they are, but it’s another level again, I think, when you go to manager.
“It’s almost like you’re taking care of the national team and the amount of people that have stopped me and wished me well, it kind of emphasises, re-emphasises, why I’m doing what I’m doing if you know what I mean.
“And that’s something that has really struck home over the last few months, about how people have a care and have a passion for the national team and are desperate for it to do well again.”
It is why conversations about who should be the custodian full-time happen every day up and down the country, and can often be heated over the potential candidates.
O’Shea has gone from being absolutely not a candidate who wished he was to someone who now definitely is in the conversation.
That news came last week when interim FAI CEO David Courell confirmed that everyone was being considered, after O’Shea had previously not been interviewed by director of football Marc Canham due to his lack of experience.
The former Manchester United defender is still believed to be an outsider, with Euros-bound Georgia boss Willy Sagnol the bookies’ favourite having seemingly been favoured in March.
Yet with no promise on when an appointment can be expected, other than before the Nations League kicks off in September, there are a host of other names being mentioned and more still expected to come into the fray.
But one name not on the radar is Ireland’s record appearance holder and goalscorer Robbie Keane, who has just won the Israeli title with Maccabi Tel Aviv in his first managerial job.
You do not need to be a diplomat to know that Keane’s decision to go to Israel last year instantly made his chances of becoming Stephen Kenny’s replacement a harder sell to the Irish public.
And you would need to have been living under a rock for the past few months to not know that it is now far harder still, if not impossible.
Plus, the FAI have never contacted Keane, 43.
O’Shea played alongside Keane with Ireland for 14 of his 16 years as a senior international and has been impressed by the job his pal has done with the Tel Aviv side.
That said, he understands it is a tricky situation.
He said: “Look, for Robbie it’s brilliant, he’s gone and took a challenge on and he’s come out and won the league.
“He’s got criticism for what’s happened there . . . everything away from football. Robbie, I know his mentality in terms of being a team-mate, how driven he was to succeed.
“It’s been a strange one . . . I’m sure he’s had some interesting thoughts but his focus has just stayed with football.
“It’s obviously been tough to watch what’s going on around, everything, when you see what’s happening over there to innocent kids and families.
“That’s the balance that will be thrown back, it’s a strange one.
“But I can only speak for Robbie in terms of what he’s hoping to do football-wise.
“He wanted to go out and test himself as a manager, to be a head coach, it’s been thrown into a totally different political football scenario.
“I’m sure Robbie will answer that himself.”
FAN-DAMONIUM
O’Shea’s own dealings with fans since he first took the Ireland job on an interim basis in February have been good.
He added: “Thankfully the opinions are positive I suppose, that’s always a good thing, it’s part of a parcel I think when you become a manager.
“Look, you get it as a player. You get your ratings, your daily ratings or your matchday ratings, it’s part and parcel of it.”
But he knows that could change if results are not good — or if he gets the role full-time.
Still, he has thrown himself into the position and made the calls as if he was going to be manager long-term.
He spoke regularly with Leicester City’s Tom Cannon and the Merseyside-born striker has made himself available now despite not knowing if he will be in the plans of a future gaffer.
O’Shea also revealed he spoke to the retired James McClean, while he has blooded Under-21s such as Bosun Lawal and Joe Hodge into the squad, too.
And he also plans to go to Euro 2024 to watch games, with the hope of viewing England who Ireland will face in September.
They start in a group with Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia.
O’Shea said: “They’re coming around the corner as well, aren’t they?
“Obviously some of the people involved with England too, look, it’s definitely a game I could be going to see.”