BACK in ‘03, Brian Kerr’s unveiling was like a rock concert in the Shelbourne Hotel as a thousand League of Irelanders swayed in the aisles.
‘Stan’ was afforded Mansion House in the capital to deliver his mission statement as Ireland’s next manager.
From behind the curtain, Giovanni Trapattoni appeared in the vast expanse of the RDS.
In 2013, Martin O’Neill’s quick wit was unleashed on the Irish media for the first time in the swanky environs of the Gibson Hotel in Point Square.
Mick McCarthy’s return to the top job in the country in 2018 was in the far from palatial Aviva Stadium lecture theatre.
You couldn’t imagine a more clinical place – but it was the sign of the times.
Due to COVID, Stephen Kenny’s was done by video link.
The FAI lost the John Delaney bling a long time ago.
The Association doesn’t book entire floors of smart hotels to unveil managers anymore.
Everything is more understated.
It reflects Ireland’s modest place in the hierarchy of international football.
And so the lecture theatre in the Aviva Stadium yesterday afternoon seemed fitting for the FAI and their new manager Heimir Hallgrimsson of Iceland, who has signed a contract up to the end of the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, believed to be worth £500,000.
After 232 days, FAI Director of Football Marc Canham could finally reveal to one and all ‘it was him all along’ – that it really, really was him they tried to land in the tragically missed deadline of “early April”.
Probably brought about by the intense scrutiny of the day – both from the media and Irish footballing public – Canham gambled and offered “early April” as the definitive moment when Ireland’s new head coach would be announced.
The problem, however, was Hallgrimsson wasn’t exactly singing along to the FAI’s tune, as he wanted to delay it to manage Jamaica at the Copa America, currently taking place in the United States.
The Reggae Boyz, as it happened, crashed and burned after three straight group defeats to Ecuador, Mexico and Venezuela.
The former dentist was a free man on July 1.
A week later, he was Ireland manager.
The FAI scored high in keeping the process strictly confidential – but for Canham it must have been like keeping a nagging tooth ache to himself.
All the while John O’Shea was minding the reins and doing his damnedest to get the gig on a full-time basis.
But his would-be employers were unconvinced across two international windows that yielded one win, a draw and two defeats.
Hallgrimsson was still their “number one” choice.
The new manager hopes to “have a coffee” with O’Shea over the next few days in the hope he will form part of his backroom team. Both men have already spoken briefly over a video link.
Given the ridiculously close proximity of the Nations League game with England on September 7, O’Shea’s intimate knowledge of the Irish squad is critical to Hallgrimsson getting up and running.
But preparation looks a bit microwaved ahead of England’s visit to Dublin in 58 days’ time.
“Of course, September 7 is the nearest crocodile to the boat. [But] There is a bigger picture,” Canham said.
Hallgrimsson smiled a lot in the Aviva yesterday. Answered questions candidly – he even indicated he’d two offers on the table while still coaching Jamaica but was always “leaning” towards the Irish job - and his reaching-out to O’Shea seemed genuine as much as it was pragmatic.
“I think for me as a foreigner it is really helpful to have an Irish coach that knows the culture, knows the players and he [O’Shea] would be the perfect candidate in my opinion,” said Ireland’s new head coach.
“Of course, him being the head coach for two camps, four games, I understand it’s difficult for him to now be assistant coach, it’s tough for him to make that decision. But I really wanted him to know that he would be my first choice if that would be a possibility. I think for the continuity of the national team, it’s really good. I know he’s a legend here and to have him around is also very important in so many ways.”
For a good chunk of Hallgrimsson’s second briefing of the afternoon – with the Irish daily newspapers – there were a few amateur Colombos in the side room trying to piece together Canham’s slightly foggy timeline and whether or not the former Iceland coach was indeed the secret figure who had “contractual obligations” and therefore his identity couldn’t be known.
It was, though, slightly odd that Hallgrimsson, on accepting the Jamaica post in September 2022, wanted to guide them to the 2026 World Cup finals - but had fallen out of love with the role as far back as the CONCACAF Nations League win over Canada last November.
But he couldn’t resist the allure of coaching at the Copa America seven months later.
“I kind of decided after the game against Canada that we didn’t feel good in the environment,” Ireland’s new head coach said.
“There were a lot of things contributing to that, but it was exciting to go and finish the Nations League.
“We almost went to the final, but we ended up playing the third-place play-off and won against Panama there.
“Then, having the opportunity to go to the Copa America - a big, big tournament, a big experience both for me and them.”
The 57-year-old Icelander added: “To put the journey into context, it was really a successful one, there were a lot of things we changed within the organisation.
“We called it the bubble. We tried to protect the players with us, ‘maybe this isn’t going to change but we stick together’.
“I give a lot of credit to the players. In the talks prior I just felt I would grow in this environment, in a professional environment. Ireland is a footballing nation, and the processes are probably established a long time ago.”
He acknowledged that it gave the FAI a massive headache having to wait until after Jamaica exited the Copa America.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, they waited for me, which is big respect to me, as a coach. I know they wanted to push me to come earlier but – as Marc said – I was always consistent for what I wanted to do. For me but also for Jamaica, to leave [earlier] would have been bad for that project.”
All in all, there was much to digest in the day, especially with the Association still grappling with the historic sex allegations made by female players against some FAI coaches back in the 1990s, revealed in a Sunday Independent investigation.
There will be other days to drill down into Hallgrimsson’s footballing ideology.
On his preferred formation, he said: “It depends on so many things. I don’t favour formations. I play more or less all formations. Four at the back for Jamaica. Against the bigger teams, we play three at the back.
“Number one is what players are available. It depends on who you’re playing. Formation is secondary. It is more about principles, in-game, how you react to scenarios. How you defend, dropping off. They are more important.”