An article on Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson getting to grips with his new surroundings includes a reference to him being quizzed on Everton’s Jake O’Brien while shopping for butter in a convenience store
Jake O’Brien has been omitted from the latest Republic of Ireland squad and an Everton fan in the Emerald Isle has been taking under-fire national team boss Heimir Hallgrimsson to task about it in a convenience store. O’Brien, who joined Everton from French club Olympique Lyonnais for €19.5million (£16.43m) in July, played the full 90 minutes in both their Carabao Cup ties against Doncaster Rovers and Southampton but he has featured in just one of their seven Premier League fixtures so far, coming on as a 64th minute substitute in the 3-2 defeat at Aston Villa on September 14.
Although the 23-year-old from County Cork played in Hallgrimsson’s first game in charge, a 2-0 home defeat to former Everton midfielder Lee Carsley’s England in Dublin on September 7, replacing his injured Goodison Park colleague Seamus Coleman 57 minutes into the contest, he remained on the bench for their 2-0 loss to Greece, also at the Aviva Stadium, three days later, and has now been left out of the 24-man party that will travel for further UEFA Nations League fixtures against Finland and Greece in Helsinki and Athens respectively on Thursday and Sunday respectively.
Liverpool World cites how an article in the Irish Independent focuses on how the former Iceland and Jamaica coach is getting to grips with his new surroundings since choosing to base himself in the Irish capital, lifts the lid on a candid conversation about O’Brien that was foisted upon the 57-year-old Nordic tactician. It states: “Given his insistence on living in Ireland, despite that housing shortage, it means that popping to the shop for milk and a loaf of bread, or a tank of diesel, can lead to a chat from a highly-opinionated Ireland fan who wants the Ireland manager to listen.
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“‘It’s started more and more, but that’s something I have been used to from the small, Iceland and even Jamaica, they are more opinionated, I am not unused to that, it doesn’t bother me at all,’ he says.
“Residing in Dublin attracts scrutiny. He could live in London and no-one would know him but he’s adamant that the Ireland manager should live in Ireland – it’s the right thing to do.
“‘You could avoid attention if you were somewhere else, probably, but it’s my decision to be here as much as I can. Obviously it’s tricky when most of the players play in England, for example. It’s probably better if you want to avoid the attention to be somewhere that you cannot be found,’ he says.
“‘It’s good to be in the country, learning the culture, meeting the people, talking football. I think as well we’re going to watch more of the Irish league when the season starts next season.
‘I think it’s an important thing of being a national team coach, to be seen. But now it’s about work, it’s not to be seen and learning other things. The same things: I need to prioritise my time.’
“Whatever about Donal, the Everton fan working behind the counter at Spar, giving his views on Jake O’Brien when all Hallgrimsson wants is a tub of Dairygold (Ireland’s best-selling butter), the manager was the subject of intense debate – and the target of criticism from people like predecessor Brian Kerr – for his hands-off policy of being a so-called laptop manager, watching games online instead of in-person.”