The Football Association of Ireland has confirmed contract extensions for Heimir Hallgrímsson’s Republic of Ireland assistant coaches John O’Shea, Paddy McCarthy and Gudmundur Hreidarsson until after Euro 2028.
McCarthy will continue to balance his day job coaching the Crystal Palace first team in the Premier League and Ireland ahead of the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Kosovo, Israel and Austria.
Retaining McCarthy was seen as the biggest challenge for the FAI director of football John Martin.
“Paddy is part of our team and will be part of our team until the point that maybe someone takes him away from us,” said Martin in May. “We will hold on to Paddy until the day that we can’t. He’s huge for us.”
O’Shea will continue as Hallgrímsson’s number two, with an official title of assistant head coach, while the FAI have also retained Damien Doyle as head of athletic performance and Pepe Lázaro Ramírez as fitness coach. Ramírez, a Spanish injury prevention expert, was recruited last year over a sports psychologist as the men’s budget could only cover one additional appointment.
“The announcement ensures that Hallgrímsson’s full coaching team is in place for the long-term, covering the 2026-27 Uefa Nations League and through to the 2028 Uefa European Championships, which are set to be hosted in Ireland and the UK,” the FAI said in a statement.
The Aviva Stadium will host seven matches at Euro 2028, including Ireland’s expected group games, a round of 16 and quarter-final.
“O’Shea and McCarthy bring significant continuity to the group, having worked together during O’Shea’s tenure as interim head coach, while [goalkeeping coach] Hreidarsson remains a key pillar of Hallgrímsson’s technical staff,” the FAI added.
Ireland open their Nations League B campaign away to Kosovo on Thursday, September 24th before facing Austria on Tuesday, October 1st in between the two Israeli fixtures that have been moved to Debrecen in Hungary on Sunday, September 27th and Bačka Topola in Serbia on Sunday, October 4th due to security concerns.
“We are pleased to have our full coaching staff committed until the end of the Euro 2028 cycle,” said Martin. “Stability is vital for the development of the squad, and we have been impressed by the working dynamic between Heimir, John, Paddy and Gudmundur.
“By securing this team now, we provide the best possible platform for the players to succeed, starting with a vital Uefa Nations League campaign.”