Why I’m staying
Once you have led your own country, it’ s very difficult to leave for another Irish FA and players showed great faith in me and now I will sign new contract
MICHAEL O’Neill last night revealed his reasons for staying on as Northern Ireland manager as he prepares to sign his new contract extension with the Irish FA, keeping him in charge until 2024.
O’Neill spoke to the Belfast Telegraph after his Northern Ireland team were drawn against Austria and Bosnia-Herzogovenia in the new Nations League competition, with matches beginning in September.
He said: “Ultimately, it’s very difficult once you’ve led your own country, to leave for another country. It’s been difficult because I’ve had approaches from clubs as well, I’ve had that situation to deal with and the ongoing situation with Scotland. You have to meet people and discuss the job before you know whether it’s right for you or not.
“The IFA came to me straight after the game in Switzerland and offered me an extension. I weighed it all up. I had a lot of discussions with the senior players. I think it was important they felt it was right. After six years maybe they need a new voice and new approach but that wasn’t the case.”
NORTHERN Ireland boss Michael O’Neill expects he will sign a new contract imminently after rejecting the offer to become Scotland’s next manager earlier this week.
The 48-year-old has in principle agreed improved terms with the Irish Football Association and O’Neill anticipates an announcement will soon be made confirming an estimated £700,000-a-year deal that will run until 2024.
“We had very positive discussions before Christmas and I envisage now we’ll pick up from where we left off,” he said.
“It’s not in terms of negotiations, there’s just things that need to be sorted.
“The discussions were very, very positive so I look forward to having something to announce in the coming days.”
O’Neill’s current contract expires in 2020 and his willingness to sign an extension is a further boost to the IFA and Northern Irish fans after he passed on the chance to succeed Gordon Strachan as Scotland boss.
The Scottish Football Association had identified Edinburgh-based O’Neill (below) as its preferred candidate back in November, when an agonising play-off loss to Switzerland saw Northern Ireland miss out on a place at this summer’s World Cup.
O’Neill was reluctant to publicly discuss his future after the second leg in Basel but IFA chiefs swiftly showed an eagerness to tie him down to a fresh deal.
While the SFA dithered over agreeing to pay the £500,000 compensation fee that would allow them to engage in formal discussions with O’Neill, the IFA impressed the Northern Ireland boss with immediate talks over a new contract. The SFA finally agreed to stump up the cash and met O’Neill last week but the IFA had always hoped he would remain in his post and so it proved as he represented Northern Ireland at yesterday’s Uefa Nations League draw, where his men were pitted against Austria and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Group Three of League B.
On why he rejected the Scottish offer, O’Neill added: “There wasn’t just one factor, of course it was a difficult decision.
“I live there in Scotland, know Scottish football very well, follow it very closely. It was tempting but ultimately I’ve been in this job six years and I’ve seen a lot of progression with the national team.
“The (Irish Football) Association showed great faith talking about a new contract so soon after the game in Switzerland — they didn’t need to do that.
“I felt it was the right thing to do. It was very difficult, I wish Scotland and their next manager well.
“Ultimately it’s very difficult once you’ve led your own country to leave for another country.”
O’Neill’s decision is likely to have an impact on his key senior players whom he has already spoken to in a bid to persuade them to shelve plans for international retirement.
Gareth McAuley, who has previously stated he would consider his international future if O’Neill left, and West Brom colleague Chris Brunt are among those the current boss is hoping can be convinced to carry on in a green and white shirt.
“I’ve spoken to most of the lads in question and discussions have been very, very positive,” O’Neill added.
“There are two sides to it. It’s March 2019 before the qualification for the Euros starts in earnest. The Nations League is almost like a pre-tournament. I’d like to go in with the strongest team possible.
“Our players have had a great four years. Some played a lot of international football and
didn’t have too many positives, too many great memories, and going forward they want it to last as long as possible.”
O’Neill was in Switzerland to watch the draw for the inaugural Nations League, a competition devised to replace the majority of friendlies and ensure similarly-ranked nations face each other in competitive fixtures.
He has fond memories of meeting Austria having scored against them twice at Windsor Park in 1995 when Northern Ireland won 5-3, while Robert Prosinecki — who suffered two defeats against O’Neill’s team in the recent World Cup qualifiers while in charge of Azerbaijan — has just been appointed the Bosnia-Herzegovina manager.
Should Northern Ireland finish top of their three-team group, they would be promoted to League A for the next Nations League.
Furthermore, the top fourranked League B teams that do not qualify for Euro 2020 via the traditional qualifying method would still have a chance to make the competition via the play-offs.
“I think it’s a good draw, a tough draw,” O’Neill added.
“The nature of this competition is you have a chance to get promoted for the next Nations League.
“I think it’s a good format and I get the feeling from speaking to a lot of coaches they see the same thing.”
Northern Ireland host Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday, September 8 before visiting Austria on Friday, October 12 and Prosinecki’s team three days later. Their final fixture is against Austria at Windsor Park on Sunday, November 18.