Preview: John O'Shea's shot to shine as Ireland welcome Belgium to town

Belgium come to the Aviva Stadium this evening for what must be the most high-profile friendly international in recent memory.

Four months on from the departure of Stephen Kenny as manager of the national team, a replacement has yet to be announced; John O'Shea tasked with taking the team through two games over the next four days.

Belgium first, followed by a quality Switzerland team on Tuesday evening, and if ever there was a chance to demonstrate management credentials, it should prove to be quite the test for the new man in charge.

"What game would you want? We’d want a big game, we’d want a tough task, and we have that with Belgium," said O’Shea in Friday’s press conference.

It is less than four weeks since O’Shea was handed the job of managing the team while the FAI continue to delay in appointing a permanent replacement for Kenny.

And yet, already it somehow feels as though O’Shea is a perfect fit for the position.

The former Manchester United man has had to do quite the amount of media duties; the announcement, the naming of the squad, and right into the week-long build-up to the Belgium game.

And every word uttered thus far appears to be exactly as you would want from a young, enthusiastic and passionate manager who has played at the very top level of club football, while being one of the most capped players for his country.

Granted, he has yet to take charge of the team, and there is an argument that his credentials were tainted as part of the previous failed regime.

However, as O’Shea stated, there is a freshness to the squad, even if only a couple of new additions, but more so the backroom team, bringing in two excellent Irish footballing brains, Paddy McCarthy and Glenn Whelan, while the renaissance of Brian Kerr