John an example for Irish youths
Daire Walsh
DURING a memorable 13-year stint at Manchester United, from 1999-2011, versatile Irish defender John O’Shea accumulated a list of honours that most can only dream of.
In addition to winning the English Premier League on five occasions, the Waterford native also captured two League Cup titles, an FA Cup (2004), the UEFA Champions League, and the FIFA Club World Cup (both 2008).
While he brought the curtain down on his Old Trafford career eight years ago, O’Shea continued to be a regular fixture in the senior international set-up.
Having featured at the European Championships in 2012 and 2016, he finally retired from the national team last June, with118 caps.
Yet despite all he has achieved in adult football, winning the U16 European Championships with the Republic of Ireland maintains a special place in his heart.
Reflecting on that monumental success, in 1998, O’Shea said: “We had a couple of results early on in the group stage and then just crazy momentum, really.
“The confidence that Brian [Kerr] and Noel [O’Reilly] gave us to have that belief.
“Different tactics, throwing all these little things at us, all of those were crucial.”
Following his impressive form at the heart of the Irish defence, a number of clubs were vying for his signature.
Having initially discussed terms with Scottish Premiership giants Celtic, O’Shea eventually opted for a daunting move to the north-west of England.
This decision paid rich dividends, but, in recent times, it has become increasingly difficult for Irish players to make the grade at England’s top clubs.
Nevertheless, O’Shea (tournament ambassador for the U17 European Championships in Ireland) still believes it is a risk worth taking.
“I can also see the benefit, from my side of things, of going to those types of teams, due to the history they have of producing players.
“It’s a balancing act and every individual has to make that choice.
“The family situation might be something to do with it.
“So many factors go into it and you just hope that the people behind them have the boy’s best interests.
“Just say there is a young kid, who is very talented at 13 or 14, go and try a few teams.
“Don’t just stick with one team. When you get that bit older, 16 or 17, you will get the feel for the right club to go to.”
O’Shea was one of eight players in the ’98 squad to progress into the senior ranks, with the late Liam Miller being one of them.
Andy Reid also enjoyed a productive career at club and international level, his lengthy exclusion during the Giovanni Trapattoni era not withstanding.
For every success story, however, there were others, like Kevin Grogan and Cork native Dave Warren, who never quite made the grade outside of Ireland.
A number of elements that contribute to young hopefuls building on their potential and O’Shea is grateful to Bournemouth and Royal Antwerp for offering him the chance to go out on loan in his formative years.
“There are going to be lots of factors. Dedication is a key one, but you need timing, the talent, and the perseverance, as well, to cope.
“Thankfully, Twitter and Instagram and social media was not around when [I was that age] and the pressure that it places on kids.
“To have that pressure is tough.
“The timing is also key to know when you have to take your chance to go out on loan.
“That was huge for me to gain that experience and to gain the knowledge of the physicality of the game.
“This ia huge, because you are getting away from the talent that gets you there and it’s one of the surrounding factors in your development that needs to be ticked off to give you that chance of maintaining a career.”
After bringing a seven-year spell at Sunderland to an end last summer, O’Shea signed a one-year deal at English Championship outfit Reading.
His game time has been limited at the Madejski Stadium and with his 38th birthday fast approaching, a move into coaching appears to be on the horizon.
He has already established his ‘A’ and ‘B’ credentials and the next step will be to acquire a Pro Licence.
For the time being, he is looking on from afar as his old club-mate, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, holds the reins at Manchester United on an interim basis.
The Norwegian has surprised many with how he has handled one of English football’s most pressurised positions, but O’Shea was always confident he could transfer his traits as a player into the managerial sphere.
“The big thing for me is when you see the impact that Ole has been able to make on the squad as a whole.
“When they have got the injuries and suspensions, [Romelu] Lukaku has come in and done incredible.
“He has been able to have the character to get the best out of the players, even when he has been leaving them out of the team.
“That’s a key aspect of maintaining a really competitive squad. I would have definitely seen him as a future manager, just how he went about training.
“Preparing for games, all those little things. The details to get every little benefit. Even with his finishing he seemed to know his angles very well,” O’Shea added.