O’Shea keeps contact with Delap as Ireland monitor potential allegiance switch

JOHN O’SHEA has kept in contact with Liam Delap about a possible switch to Ireland.

Delap’s father Rory won eight caps for Ireland. He qualified through his Donegal father and mother from Leitrim.

Delap – who joined Ipswich Town from Manchester City this summer – – has played for England up to Under-21 level.

Lining out for them last month, having turned 21 in February, ties him to the Three Lions but it is believed FIFA may raise the bar to 22 years of age which could open the door again for him to change allegiance.

And Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson has left it to assistant O’Shea – who played alongside Rory for the Boys In Green – to keep the lines of communication open.

Hallgrímsson said: I just know his qualities. In the end it’s always up to the player himself.

“He knows that we are interested. He knows that. We talked about it before the last camp.

“John has been in contact with him before. He has more connections to the player than me so no reason to have three, four guys doing the same.”