Heimir Hallgrimsson has been named the new Republic of Ireland head coach.
The former Iceland boss replaces Stephen Kenny nearly eight months after he left the role.
Hallgrimsson was joint head coach of Iceland when they shocked England at Euro 2016 and took them to the World Cup finals in 2018, reaching a record-high ranking of 18th during his tenure.
Football Association of Ireland director of football Marc Canham says he identified the 57-year-old as a top candidate earlier in the year.
He said: “Not only does Heimir have significant experience at international level with two different countries, but crucially he also has a track record of qualifying for major international tournaments and taking teams up the FIFA world rankings.”
Hallgrimsson was most recently in charge of Jamaica but stepped down following their exit from Copa America earlier this month.
Welcome to Ireland Heimir Hallgrímsson 🇮🇪
Our new Ireland MNT Head Coach 💚 pic.twitter.com/aKZMMOPtyL
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) July 10, 2024
But he has now quickly picked up a new gig as Ireland boss.
Speaking for the first time since being announced, he said: “We have a young and exciting team that has genuine potential.
“I am looking forward to working closely with the players to help coach and guide them towards improved performances and results ensuring we qualify and compete at major tournaments on a regular basis.”
Ireland have slipped to 60th in the FIFA rankings but once sat as high as 28th in 2019.
Hallgrimsson will be looking to restore their reputation on the world stage as will have the perfect opportunity to make an instant impact when he faces England in September for his first game in charge.
