Sliding doors moment as Ireland welcome England to Dublin

A new era for the Republic of Ireland football senior men's team will start on 7th September when England come to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin for a UEFA Nations League clash. In the home dugout will be Heimir Hallgrimsson, the left-field appointment the FAI installed after months of speculation over Stephen Kenny's replacement. Shaking his hand will be England's interim boss, Lee Carsley, the man who seemingly topped the FAI's wishlist to be their next manager.

Carsley, an ex-Ireland international, gave the job some thought but stayed in England's underage set-up instead, and now he's in charge of the Three Lions, though for how long we don't know. Hallgrimsson has added John O'Shea to his coaching ticket, the Irish centurion having put his hat in the ring for the job after four games as caretaker boss after Kenny left.

It wasn't to be, but the continuity of having the Waterford man in the backroom team should be a positive influence for the new manager.

Ireland will be betting underdogs when Euro 2024 finalists England come calling in Ballsbridge; that much is a given, but is the future looking any rosier for the Boys in Green after Hallgrimsson's appointment?

There can be little doubting that, in the end, Kenny's Irish side lost the will of a public that once adored him.

The Dubliner started on a high platform with no amount of goodwill. Hallgrimsson is a complete unknown to the average Irish soccer fan despite his European Championship exploits in 2016 with his home nation.

To that end, he has a low base from which to start. Expectations are not going to be sky high and, fair or otherwise, the new manager will be asked to win over his public. He could scarcely have asked for a more difficult opener as England come to Dublin.

They may have failed to end their long trophy-wait in Germany but, yet again, the Three Lions showcased themselves as a tier one footballing nation, reaching another major tournament decider despite seemingly failing to truly ignite in what proved Gareth Southgate's farewell.

Carsley, the one-time darling of the powers that be in Abbotstown, will be viewed as a low-key appointment by those in England. The FA, of course, were keen to stress his appointment is interim, but they have previously appointed a permanent boss from such a position, Southgate having done it after Sam Allardyce's impromptu parting of ways in 2016.

It would be a major move given the ex-Everton midfielder has no experience in the dugout in a senior role, but the likes of Gary Speed at Wales has shown it can pay off. Ireland, meanwhile, will be hopeful rather than expectant that Hallgrimsson can arrest the decline that has largely been in effect since Martin O'Neill took his team to France in the summer of 2016 for the Euros.

There are reasons to be positive. Jake O'Brien is back in the Premier League at Everton, the 23-year-old having collected some useful experience in France with Lyon last season.

Evan Ferguson, seemingly around for some time now but still a teenager, is once more being touted with a big money move as Manchester United are linked with the Brighton forward. Adam Idah is bound for Celtic, the Cork native having impressed on loan in Scotland last season as he helped the Bhoys to a domestic double. At 23, Idah will be getting the chance to play in the new look Champions League under Brendan Rodgers – a coach so well renowned for developing young players.

Since the departure of Robbie Keane, that surely has been Ireland's downfall, the lack of a consistent goal-threat in the final third. A 'Johnny-on-the-spot' style poacher whose overall contributions are far outweighed by those golden moments in and around the penalty box when the chances arrive.

Ferguson looks like a tailor-made star in the making, but Idah's chance to shine in Glasgow could be a massive fillip for the new Republic of Ireland boss.

A striker who consistently finds the net is a potent weapon, and in many instances of international football, Ireland should be able to create chances for good finishers to take. It may not come to light against England, but the four games that follow against Greece and Finland are much more appealing in terms of seeing what Ireland can do under Hallgrimsson ahead of the World Cup 2026 qualifiers getting up and running in March 2025.

That will be the acid test. Hallgrimsson has a penchant for upsetting England, and if his side could emerge unscathed from their tussle with the Lions in Dublin in early September, it would provide a serious morale boost to launch his new era as leader of the Boys in Green after the low ebb that was the end of the Kenny reign.

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