Ireland Secures Hallgrimsson's Coaching Team Through 2028
The Republic of Ireland have locked in the core of Heimir Hallgrimsson’s backroom team, with John O’Shea, Paddy McCarthy and Gudmundur “Gummi” Hreidarsson all agreeing contract extensions through to 2028.
The decision ties the trio to the national side until the end of the Euro 2028 qualifying cycle, a campaign that will carry extra weight with the tournament being staged in the UK and Ireland. Continuity, not upheaval, is the message from Abbottstown.
Hallgrimsson, whose own deal was extended earlier this year, made no secret of how central his assistants have become since he took charge.
“Since I arrived, John, Paddy, and Gummi have been an incredible support to me and integral to everything we are building here,” the Icelandic coach 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, the former Manchester United defender, has quickly shifted from interim stopgap to long-term pillar. He oversaw four games as caretaker boss in 2024 before Hallgrimsson’s appointment and now steps firmly into the role of trusted lieutenant.
He called the extension an “honour” and nailed his colours to the mast of a home Euros. “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 duties, remaining on the Ireland staff while keeping his coaching role at Crystal Palace. That dual perspective, working daily in the Premier League while plugged into the international setup, has been viewed as a valuable link between club and country.
Hreidarsson, a familiar figure from his playing days in English football, stays on as part of a coaching group that Hallgrimsson clearly trusts. The blend is obvious: an Icelandic head coach steeped in international overachievement, flanked by two Irish voices and a long-time ally who understands his methods.
The timing is deliberate. Ireland return to competitive action later this month with the start of their Uefa Nations League campaign, facing Kosovo, Israel and Austria. Those games will serve as the first serious markers of what this settled ticket can produce.
The contracts now run to 2028. The real question is whether this staff can carry Ireland all the way to a major tournament on home soil.
