Ireland Set to Embark on a New Era

The Republic of Ireland are gearing up for a fresh start under interim manager John O’Shea, with a friendly double-header against Belgium and Switzerland kicking off this weekend.

While these matches may be non-competitive, they will serve as dress rehearsals for the upcoming Nations Leaguecampaign and excitement is brewing amongst Irish fans as O’Shea prepares for his managerial debut.

The former Manchester United centre-back, who won 14 trophies during a decade-long spell at Old Trafford, takes the helm with aspirations of landing the permanent managerialrole.

O’Shea, who represented Ireland 118 times, isn’t entirely new to the coaching scene, boasting spells at Reading and Stoke City before joining Wayne Rooney’s coaching staff at Birmingham City.

Taking the Irish national team job isn’t uncharted territory for O’Shea, having previously served as assistant manager under former manager Stephen Kenny.

Despite facing formidable opponents in Belgium and Switzerland, the ex-Sunderland defender will relish the opportunity to showcase his leadership.

He will be eager solidify his claim for the permanent manager role, even with the official search for Kenny’s successor still ongoing.

O’Shea Banking on Szmodics

Blackburn Rovers attacking midfielder Sammie Szmodics is one of the most eye-catching names in O’Shea’s 26-man squad, although his inclusion unsurprising considering his imperious form in the Championship.

The 28-year-old tops the goalscoring charts with a remarkable 21 goals in 36 league games. He has also netted six times in three FA Cup appearances this season and will be hoping to finally claim his first senior cap in the double-header.

Olympique Lyon defender Jake O’Brien also received his maiden call-up to the Ireland senior squad after impressing in the French top flight, notching four goals and six clean sheets in 19 Ligue 1 games.

Middlesbrough midfielder Finn Azaz joins the squad for the first time, while Wexford-born right wing-back Festy Ebosele will be eager to add to his two international caps, although his Serie A form could be a stumbling block.

Irish fans will be excited at the return of captain Seamus Coleman, who joins the squad for the first time since March.

The legendary Irish right-back has only featured five times for Everton in the Premier League this season since recovering from a severe knee injury that ruled him out for the rest of the 2022/23 campaign.

Ireland Face Tricky Belgium Test

Aviva Stadium in Dublin is the venue as Ireland and Belgium square off in an exciting international friendly on Saturday.

The contest marks a fresh start for the Irish team under interim manager O’Shea, who will seek to galvanise the squad after a dismal 2024 European Championship qualifying campaign under Kenny’s leadership.

However, he faces a tall order as Belgium storm Dublin boasting an imperious six-match winning streak. By contrast, Ireland have endured a dreadful run of form, winning just two of their last nine games across all competitions (D1, L6). To make matters worse, the last time Ireland emerged victorious against Belgium was in May 1966.

That victory came in an international friendly, and O’Shea will be keen to repeat the feat nearly six decades later and prove he’s not out of his depth by taking the Ireland job.

Despite the overwhelming odds, O’Shea will be eager to prove his managerial mettle. A repeat of the entertaining 2-2 draw during the last encounter between both sides could offer O’Shea some solace and potentially boost his odds of claiming an unlikely victory.

Intriguingly, bookmakers featured in this Novibet review have set Ireland’s odds of winning at a tempting 3.60 despite their awful run of form, which may entice some Irish fans to back the Boys in Green to stage an upset.

Punters on the Emerald Isle will likely be fuelled by hopes that a new manager bounce could spark a potential turnaround in fortunes.

Switzerland Game Presents an Opportunity

After grappling with Belgium in Dublin, Ireland will be looking to spring a surprise on Switzerland when the two sides meet in a friendly showdown scheduled for Tuesday.

The contest marks Switzerland’s first return to Irish soil since September 2019, when a late David McGoldrick goal secured a 1-1 draw in a Euro 2020 qualifier.

While Switzerland ultimately secured qualification for Euro 2024, their path wasn’t smooth sailing, recording just four wins in their ten qualifying matches (D5, L1).

Their recent form opens up a window of opportunity for O’Shea and Ireland, who will be aiming to exploit any potential weaknesses in the Swiss camp.

Switzerland are the favourites based on recent form, but Ireland will fancy their chances of claiming a positive result under O’Shea.

Ireland may have forgotten the taste of victory over the Swiss, considering their last win against their European rivals came in a friendly back in 2016, although they’ve only lost one of their previous five encounters against them (W1, D3).

O’Shea will be keen to see his side build momentum as they prepare for the upcoming Nations League matches, and a win over Switzerland would be a significant boost to Irish confidence.

Sports bettors may view Ireland as a value bet against the Swiss, and the passionate home crowd could play a crucial role in influencing the outcome.