Ireland's Coaching Team Secured Until Euro 2028

The Republic of Ireland have tied down their full senior coaching ticket to the end of the Euro 2028 qualifying cycle, with John O'Shea, Paddy McCarthy and Gudmundur Hreidarsson all extending their contracts.

The decision follows head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson’s own extension earlier this year and means Ireland’s entire technical team is now aligned on a long-term deal running through to the tournament, which will be staged in the UK and Ireland.

“Since I arrived, John, Paddy, and Gummi have been an incredible support to me and integral to everything we are building here,” he said. “Their knowledge of the players and the Irish game is invaluable. I am delighted that we will continue to work together to drive this team forward and achieve the results our fans deserve.”

O'Shea, who stepped in as interim boss for four games in 2024 before Hallgrimsson took charge, has now committed to stay on in his assistant role. The former Manchester United defender made no attempt to hide what the extension means to him, describing himself as “honoured” to continue.

“It is an incredibly exciting time for Irish football, and I am fully focused on helping lead this team toward a major tournament on home soil at Uefa Euro 2028,” he said.

McCarthy will continue to juggle his Ireland duties with his coaching role at Crystal Palace, maintaining the club-and-country balance that has helped keep him close to the Premier League game while contributing to the national setup.

Hreidarsson, a long-time ally of Hallgrimsson, also stays on as part of a staff that the manager clearly trusts as Ireland try to build a coherent project rather than another short-term cycle.

Attention now turns quickly from contracts to competition. The Republic of Ireland return to action later this month in the Uefa Nations League, with a three-game block against Kosovo, Israel and Austria offering an early test of a coaching group now locked in all the way to 2028.