HEIMIR HALLGRÍMSSON will be BARRED from picking players who fall short of the FAI’s ‘values’.
The new Ireland boss came under fire for what he said about the prospect of Mason Greenwood playing for Jamaica earlier this year when he was in charge of the Reggae Boyz.
In October 2022, the Manchester United striker was charged with attempted rape, assault occasioning bodily harm and engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour.
The charges were dropped four months later following the withdrawal of key witnesses.
But, following a public backlash, in August 2023 United decided that Greenwood not play for the club again, and loaned him to Getafe.
He has not added to the solitary England cap in 2020 and, in March, Hallgrímsson spoke enthusiastically about him switching allegiance to Jamaica.
He said: “I think what he has gone through in the year and a half since it happened is worse than I can imagine, being in the press and on social media.
“The case went through stages and the case was dropped, so it’s not up to me or anyone else to judge him on that.
“It was no less a person than Jesus Christ who said, those who are without sin should throw the first stone. Whatever happened, everybody at least deserves a second chance.
“I am happy for the player that he is coming back because it is probably a trauma.”
Yesterday, Hallgrímsson said he was speaking in the context of the Jamaican Football Federation having already decided it wanted Greenwood on board.
He said: “The question to me was after the President of the Jamaica Federation and after the General Secretary, so obviously the coach got the question.
“The political answer was that obviously all coaches would like to have the best players available. I didn’t need to take a decision on selection. I was trying to maybe duck the question.”
DUFFY DILEMMA
Interim boss John O’Shea picked Shane Duffy last month after he had been charged with drink-driving. He pleaded guilty last week and copped a three-year driving ban.
O’Shea said he had not sought approval from the FAI before including him in his squad.
But, in the wake of the historical abuse allegations from female players, FAI Director of Football Marc Canham suggested it would take a more active role in selection.
He said: “Any player that Heimir picks moving forward, certainly one that’s not well-known to us, then we would make a collaborative decision on that in terms of what it looks like.
“In that case, that wouldn’t meet the values of our Association.
“If that was the scenario here we wouldn’t move forward with that player. Obviously every context is slightly different.”