O’Neill and Keane set to stay as Republic gear up for crunch clash
MARTIN O’NEILL has verbally agreed to stay on as Republic of Ireland manager for the Euro 2020 campaign but has yet to discuss the terms and conditions with the FAI.
On the eve of tonight’s World Cup qualifier with Moldova, the association announced that O’Neill was sticking around for a third campaign in charge regardless of whether the Republic make it to Russia or not.
Assistant Roy Keane (right) and the rest of the backroom staff are willing to remain with a view to qualifying for a competition that will be partially staged in Dublin.
However, the deal has only been agreed in principle and it’s understood Ulsterman O’Neill has yet to sit down and talk money and the finer points of the contract with his employers.
His current deal is believed to be worth in the region of €1m a year plus bonuses.
That is similar to the contract announcement before Euro 2016 which was not signed and sealed when the initial release went out.
The formalities were only completed later in the year.
Following the same strategy leaves open the possibility of an awkward debate if the Republic perform poorly in the double-header with Moldova tonight and Wales on Monday and miss out on a World Cup play-off.
Speaking in the hours before the surprise announcement by the FAI, O’Neill pointed to the success of the previous campaign and attendances at the Aviva Stadium as evidence that the public are on board with what the current regime are doing.
“We’ve qualified for a competition (Euro 2016), that’s one out of one so far,” said O’Neill.
“Season tickets have gone from 4,000 to 16,000. There’s some evidence we’re doing OK.”
O’Neill said the Republic’s co-hosting of the 2020 tournament, which means they would play twice in Dublin if they qualify, was a factor in a desire to stay.
“I’ve enjoyed (the job) immensely. International football was something that I didn’t know whether you’d get used to or not but obviously qualification for the Euros made it all worthwhile — and we’re still in this competition also.
“With some younger players coming through, taking over from the old guard who will retire naturally through old age as much as anything else.
“I must admit that with the Euros and the possibility of games in Dublin, there are exciting times ahead.”
The prospect of a winner-takes-all showdown with a Wales team lacking injured superstar Gareth Bale may be an enticing one, but it was one O’Neill simply will not allow himself to consider just yet.
He said: “We have shown in the past great resilience, great courage to come and fight back from some adversity — that’s what we have been very, very strong at — and we will need all of that.
“But it’s not about bringing things over to Cardiff. If we win the game (tonight), that will be enough confidence to take us to Cardiff regardless.
“This is it — we must win (tonight).”
Meanwhile, Igor Dobrovolski has warned the Republic that Moldova are determined to spoil their World Cup party as they look to end a four-year wait for a competitive victory.
Manager Dobrovolski said: “We tried to do this with the other national teams, we tried this with Wales. We try to do whatever we can and play as well as we can.
“We have never lost confidence — we have never lost confidence before the match, after the match — regardless of if we have been at home or away.
“At the same time the confidence can be there, and we still lost 2-0 (to Wales). But after losing a match, there cannot be any confidence — when they win a match, there is.”
Moldova also made life difficult for the Republic in Chisinau in October last year when striker Igor Bugaev cancelled out Shane Long’s second-minute opener on the stroke of half-time and then frustrated the visitors until James McClean won it with a late double.