Liverpool players are getting ready for life under a new head coach in Arne Slot, and one man in the Reds’ squad will also have a new boss at international level.
On Wednesday afternoon, Heimir Hallgrimsson was confirmed as the next manager of the Republic of Ireland men’s team, eight months on from the departure of Stephen Kenny, who coincidentally oversaw the cancellation of Marcelo Pitaluga’s loan at St Patrick’s Athletic recently.
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It means that Caoimhin Kelleher now has new bosses for both club and country, although speculation continues to abound as to whether he’ll be part of Slot’s project at Anfield or move on to establish himself as a clear first-choice elsewhere.
Welcome to Ireland Heimir Hallgrímsson
Our new Ireland MNT Head Coach pic.twitter.com/aKZMMOPtyL
— Ireland Football (@IrelandFootball) July 10, 2024
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If the name of Heimir Hallgrimsson sounds eerily familiar to some readers…well, it should.
The qualified dentist was in charge of Iceland when they had their historic run to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016, memorably eliminating England from the tournament in what represented a nadir for the Three Lions.
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The 57-year-old also took the island nation to their debut World Cup two years later, earning an impressive draw against Argentina in their first game. He recently left his position with Jamaica after their elimination from the Copa America, having been with the Reggae Boyz since September 2022.
Kelleher had displaced Gavin Bazunu after Ireland’s woeful Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, and with the Southampton goalkeeper sidelined for the rest of this calendar year through injury, the Liverpool stopper will surely be Hallgrimsson’s first choice for the UEFA Nations League during the autumn.
The 25-year-old’s club future seems less clearcut, but if he remains at Anfield beyond the end of the transfer window and continues to play second fiddle to Alisson Becker, hopefully he can become a leading figure in his national team as, like the Reds, they enter a new era following a change of manager.
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