Bill Schmitz discusses the recent appointment of Heimir Hallgrímsson as the Men's National Team Head Coach by the FAI.
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) announced on Wednesday July 10, that Heimir Hallgrímsson has been appointed as the new Men’s National Team Head Coach. The 56-year-old Icelandic manager, known for leading Iceland to the Euro 2016 quarter-finals and their first World Cup in 2018, takes over from interim manager John O’Shea, who will stay on as assistant coach.
The Icelandic native, who previously split his work between football and dentistry, was appointed 231 days after the sacking of Stephen Kenny, who led Ireland’s disappointing Euro 2024 qualification campaign. Kenny now manages St. Patrick’s Athletic FC in the League of Ireland.
The FAI Director of Football Marc Canham stated last March that a new manager would be appointed in April, when he was forced to admit they hadn’t found the right candidate yet. Meanwhile, Hallgrímsson was preparing the Jamaica Men’s National Team for the Copa America, which he had helped them qualify for in November 2023. He parted ways with the ‘Reggae Boyz’ on June 30 after failing to escape the group stages.
“It is an honour to be appointed Head Coach of the Ireland Senior Men’s National Team. Ireland is rightly a proud footballing nation which has consistently produced talented players and enjoyed many memorable moments at major international tournaments.”
Hallgrímsson previously co-managed Iceland alongside Lars Lagerback during their historic Euro 2016 campaign, most notably knocking England out in the Round of 16 with a 2-1 victory - it was only then that he gave up dentistry. Throughout his 21-year coaching career, he has also managed at club level in Iceland and Qatar.
Commenting on his appointment, Hallgrímsson stated, “It is an honour to be appointed Head Coach of the Ireland Senior Men’s National Team. Ireland is rightly a proud footballing nation which has consistently produced talented players and enjoyed many memorable moments at major international tournaments.”
There has been a mixed reaction to the announcement. Former Ireland midfielder and RTÉ pundit Kevin Doyle admitted he “had to do a fair bit of research like the rest of the country” when it came to who Hallgrímsson was. Richie Sadlier, another pundit, said his feeling was “just relief” as “the process is over”.
Whether it’s his previous success with Iceland or his whopping €650,000 salary, Irish fans will be hoping for an improvement in form. With just 6 wins in 29 games under Stephen Kenny, it may look like a low bar has been set. However, throughout the duration of his 17-month contract, Hallgrímsson will face the challenge of England, Greece, and Finland in the Nations League, before the 2026 World Cup qualifiers commence in March next year.
Interim FAI Chief Executive David Courell said, “We are delighted to have secured a head coach with the experience we were seeking but more importantly one that shares our vision for Irish Football. Heimir was the outstanding candidate, and I am hugely excited at what he brings to the role.”
His tenure as Ireland manager got off to a rocky start on Saturday, September 7, as his team lost 2-0 to rivals England.
Hallgrímsson’s international win percentage is 40%, exactly double that of Stephen Kenny. His tenure as Ireland manager got off to a rocky start on Saturday, September 7, as his team lost 2-0 to rivals England.