Stopgap John O'Shea may be the charismatic steward we need

The FAI's decision to appoint John O'Shea and Paddy McCarthy as interim head coach and assistant coach provides a moment to recalibrate our thinking.

It's essential to understand that, in the grand context of the national team's current state, the immediate results under our next manager's guidance are not the sole indicators of success.

Ireland finds itself in a period of transition, grappling with legacy issues that require more than just a master tactician to navigate.

Results become important for me when this next crop of young players have cut their teeth on the big stage and have established themselves into a stronger, more competitive side.

The process of selecting the new manager has unfolded in a lengthy, albeit unusual manner, marked by potential candidates or close friends of potential candidates using their platforms through punditry work to express interest or decline involvement.

Contrasted with the FAI's discreet approach, this has added a unique dimension to the search for leadership. What emerges from this situation is not a criticism of the process but an acknowledgment of its uniqueness as we come nearer to a permanent appointment.

The association has circled early April in their diaries as the moment to unveil their new permanent head coach.

If the FAI is still engaged in a long-standing dance with a candidate it has been courting for months, it might be time to change the tune.

The role of managing the national team is not a proposal to the debs, it's a professional commitment. This shouldn't take this long. If those in the running didn't accept the job months ago, there's a fair chance they're now just basking in the attention.

Attention that potentially distracts from what should be the heart of this