Brunt weighing up his options but Grigg is still keen, maintains Michael
CHRIS Brunt and Will Grigg declined the opportunity to join the Northern Ireland squad to face South Korea, but Michael O’Neill has left the door open for the duo at different ends of the international spectrum.
West Brom’s Brunt (33) has been around at the highest level since 2004, winning 65 caps to date. He is taking a break to consider his future after playing the best football of his international career in the last World Cup qualifying campaign.
Wigan striker Grigg has yet to establish himself in the Northern Ireland side. The 26-year-old has opted to miss the March 24 friendly at Windsor Park to play for his club, who are chasing promotion from League One.
O’Neill is unsure if Brunt will return, but insists Grigg wants to be part of his plans.
“I met Chris last Thursday and we had a good conversation. I fully understand he is taking a break from international football at the moment,” said O’Neill.
“He has his own club situation to focus on. It is a difficult position West Brom are in so that dialogue will remain open and we will see what his thoughts are in September. The Nations League then is important but the real priority will be in March 2019 (Euro 2020 qualifiers begin).”
Asked if club-mates Gareth McAuley and Jonny Evans could help persuade Brunt to continue, O’Neill stated: “He shares a dressing room every day with Gareth and Jonny so I’m sure they discuss it. You always exert whatever influence you can. Chris is valuable to us. It would be a huge positive if he plays on, but if he doesn’t I’ll respect that.”
On Grigg, O’Neill said: “I also spoke to Will last week. He was very keen to be involved but League One games will be played on that Saturday and Will thought that he would be better staying with Wigan at this time. With the summer tour to Panama and Costa Rica, we can look at the situation then.”
Norwich left-back Jamal Lewis and Celtic keeper Conor Hazard, on loan at Falkirk, are the rookies.
With Roy Carroll injured and Alan Mannus deciding to step away, Hazard joins No.1 Michael McGovern and uncapped Trevor Carson in the squad. Carson’s sensational form for Motherwell could earn him some game time. Impressive Lewis (20) is also in line for a senior debut.
MICHAEL O’Neill entered the press conference room at Windsor Park with intent. In his hand was a typed statement about the controversial issue of players switching allegiance from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland.
In the background for some months now, and clearly where some IFA and FAI officials like to keep it, O’Neill brought the thorny topic front and centre last week in an interview with the Irish Daily Mail.
The Northern Ireland boss claimed that the FAI target Catholic players, declared he wanted a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with Republic counterpart Martin O’Neill regarding young prospects and stated that for some players who move from north to south it curtails their international careers, though that final point was lost somewhat in the publicity that followed.
At a press conference, the elder O’Neill spoke of his surprise at the younger O’Neill’s comments and voiced his disappointment for ‘bringing religion into it’, though he did point out he would hold discussions with his namesake.
Part Three came yesterday as the Northern Ireland manager responded. Intelligent, articulate and with biting humour, O’Neill is at his best when debating in to and fro style. Yesterday he didn’t seem as comfortable reading out line after prepared line which had no doubt been given the fine tooth comb treatment by the IFA.
Watching on from a position in the corner of the room was IFA chief executive Patrick Nelson, who refused to answer any questions after Michael was done.
O’Neill, perplexed and unhappy with the reaction, some of it frosty, to his interview, started by saying: “During a recent interview I was questioned about the issue of eligibility. Contrary to how it has been reported, I did not attack the FAI, I merely responded to the questions I was asked.
“For me, eligibility is not, and should not, be a political issue. Nor should it be a religious issue. For me, eligibility is a football issue.”
O’Neill said that he has never disputed the right of northern-born players to choose the IFA or FAI (given to them by Fifa rules following the Good Friday Agreement), adding: “My concerns lie specifically with players aged 17 to 21 in the under-age set-ups.
“I’ve seen a heavy price paid by too many talented young players; players who have transferred their allegiance to a country that ultimately doesn’t rate them, nor play them — creating an international vacuum for the player that signals a wholly different outcome to the career that they may have had.
“My request, therefore, to the FAI and to any other association, is this: that if a young player has chosen to represent