John O'Shea's interim manager role not ideal for Ireland - Shay Given

Shay Given does not believe that John O'Shea’s reappointment as interim manager for the upcoming summer internationals is the ideal scenario for the national team.

O’Shea was handed the reins for the March fixtures against Belgium and Switzerland under the understanding that there was to be a permanent appointment in April.

However, the FAI were not true to their word as that month came and went without an appointment and they subsequently had to apologise to Ireland fans for their inability to put a new manager in place.

"Roy Keane would always be box office if he got back in. If he got the number one spot, the hot seat, as manager, I’m sure that would fill a few columns."

The FAI since went back to O’Shea, who does not appear to be have been considered for the full-time role, and asked him to once again take charge for the June games at home to Hungary and away to Portugal.

And former Newcastle number one, Given, does not feel the whole situation has been handled very well by the FAI.

"I don’t think it’s ideal to be honest," said the former Ireland goalkeeper.

"If they had said to John 'we’ll bring you in for the next four games and we’ll have a look at it after that’, it would make more sense.

"But it was like ‘we’ll announce a manager in April after the first two friendlies’, then obviously they backtracked on that, of course. And now they said it is going to be September.

"And then they pick the phone up to John again and say ‘do you fancy coming back again?’ that kind of way, you know?

"So I wouldn’t say he has been mistreated, but I think it could have been dealt with better, let’s be honest.

"But credit to John, he could have easily turned around and said no, I don’t want to get involved in these games in June, I want a