John O’Shea is not going anywhere. For now, and for the qualifiers, that should mean him starting from the bench.
Turn 30 in the sporting world and everyone starts planning your retirement.
Make it to 35 and people look upon you with a sort of pitying wonder. How is he still doing it?
John O’Shea went into Euro 2016 as Ireland’s starting centre back, along with Ciaran Clark. The Sunderland defender would have been one of the first names jotted down by Martin O’Neill when he was mulling his starting XI.
The Belgium game changed all that. It changed everything for Ireland, hopefully for good; for the foreseeable future.
O’Shea will now go into the World Cup Qualifiers behind Richard Keogh and Shane Duffy. They are the starting pair-elect. For the foreseeable future, however, O’Shea wants to be part of Ireland’s story. According to the Irish Independent, he wants to play on. It is no real surprise. As long as O’Shea feels he can contribute for his country, he will not walk away.
It is typical of O’Shea. The man is one determined fecker. He has been underestimated for most of his career and constantly exceeded expectations; even his own.
14 major honours with Manchester United, five years at the Sunderland coal-face, 113 Ireland caps and one sweet, amazing, blissful strike against the Germans. There were a lot of ifs and buts regarding Ireland’s Euro 2016 qualification. O’Shea’s goal was a huge, huge moment.
It is time to look beyond the Waterford native now. Keogh and Duffy should remain in-situ for the start of the qualifiers. Their two outings together at Euro 2016 promised much but their aerial mix-up [Duffy’s one to own] belied their lack of game time together.
First reserve should be Clark. He has to live with a poor European championships but he has the resolve to do it and the innate talent, and will, to do it. A transfer window back to the Premier League is not essential but it would certainly help his, and Ireland’s, cause.
That 3-0 flaking by Belgium was a catalyst for this evolving Ireland team. Back yourself, back your talents and back your teammates.
No-one celebrated those crucial interventions, clearing headers and blocked shots – against Italy and France – as much as O’Shea. He was constantly off his place on the bench and revelled in each success enjoyed by the new-look Irish defence.
If O’Shea wants to play on, we should be grateful. We are grateful.
It is time to move on but we may need O’Shea yet.
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