Bullish gaffer hits back at Oxford boss over Whyte call-up

AFTER dealing with the fall-out from Kyle Lafferty’s self-imposed absence, Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill was in no mood last night to accept criticism from Oxford United boss Karl Robinson over his decision to select Gavin Whyte in his squad.

Robinson (below), whose U’s side are currently rooted to the bottom of League One with just six points from 12 league matches, is irate he cannot select Whyte, signed from Crusaders in the summer, for Saturday’s important clash with Plymouth Argyle.

“I asked if Gavin could come back,” fumed Robinson.

“I feel low with that, because if we hadn’t signed Gavin Whyte, he wouldn’t have been there.

“It’s not like we’ve got a top international player who has been there year-in, yearstripes out and earned their playing somewhere else.

“He would have been playing for the Under-21s probably, but we would have probably got special dispensation for that with where we are right now.

“They will say they’ve got a job to do, but we’ve got jobs to keep, players have families to feed.

“I’m gutted, it’s a big one to take. It’s frustrating for everybody.”

O’Neill though hit back at Robinson and told the League One boss to “think before he speaks”.

O’Neill insists Robinson is in incorrect with his facts and that 22-year old Whyte, having been brought on the tour to Central America at the end of last season, is very much an international and an important member of his squad.

Attacking midfielder Whyte made his international debut in the friendly victory over Israel last month, making a dream start by scoring with his first touch after coming on as a second half substitute.

“I was quite surprised at that to be honest,” claimed O’Neill ahead of training at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna last night.

“If you sign an international player, why do you then object to him playing international football? Gavin Whyte was a senior international, in terms of he came in the squad with us in the summer.

“I believe Karl is claiming that he has made him into an international player in the five games he’s started for Oxford this season. Very surprised by that.

“I thought the comments that Gavin is not an important player for us is a bit belittling of the player, given that Gavin was named in the original squad.

“He said if he had been part of our Under-21 squad then he would have be given special dispensation for him to miss that.

“I assure you wouldn’t.”

O’Neill is adamant that Whyte, having impressed since making the move to professional football, has an excellent chance of playing some part in either the match against Austria tonight or on Monday evening against Bosnia in Sarajevo.

“Gavin Whyte is a player who is in my thoughts to start in both of these games,” added O’Neill.

“This is why we picked him in the squad.

“It’s an unfortunate thing for League One managers that their games aren’t all called off. “That’s out of my control. “I can guarantee that you if a club comes in for Gavin Whyte, the first thing Oxford United will say is that he’s an international player.

“To be an international player, you have to turn up and play. Gavin is delighted to be here, so I think Karl should maybe think before he speaks.”

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IT was a welcome deviation for Michael O’Neill from a line of questioning on the absence of controversial striker Kyle Lafferty. A smile even crossed the face of the Northern Ireland manager as he contemplated his answer at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna ahead of training last night.

The Austrian city has happy memories for O’Neill as today marks an exact anniversary of an excellent Northern Ireland away win in a World Cup qualifier.

24 years ago a young Keith Gillespie (below) introduced himself to international football with a stunning goal on the volley and striker Philip Gray scored the winner after Austrian hero Toni Polster had drawn the sides level.

O’Neill came on for Gillespie and played an important part in Northern Ireland’s midfield for 34 minutes to make sure the men in green recorded a fabulous win in Vienna.

“We played very well and it was a fabulous Gillespie goal,” reminisced O’Neill.

“I remember it was a really good Austrian team. I was chatting to Andreas Herzog (former Austrian defender), the Israel manager, about it recently when we were at a Fifa conference. He played in that game.

“Over the years we’ve performed well against Austria. It was a highlight to come here andwinthegame2-1.

“We denied Austria thechanceto possibly go to Euro96when we beat them in Belfast 5-3, so if we can have a similar level of performance and something similar in terms of the result, we’d be delighted.”

The Austrian side that O’Neill’s team will face this evening may be just as good as that team in 1994 and they should be considered a huge threat tonight to Northern Ireland’s hopes of making a dent in the Nations League. Fraco Foda’s men may have lost their opening Nations League match to Bosnia and Herzegovina in Zeneca, but at the Ernst Happel Stadium they have taken the scalps of European heavyweights Sweden, Germany, Russia and Serbia in recent years.

They currently have a number of injuries with captain Julian Baumgartlinger and star wing back David Alaba already ruled out.

But in West Ham striker Marco Arnautovic, the Austrians have a player of immense quality.

O’Neill said: “He’s a massive threat. At times he cut a frustrated figure at Stoke and a little bit last season at West Ham. But my previous assistant manager, Billy McKinlay, worked with him at West Ham and said that he’s one of the most talented players that he’s ever had the opportunity to work with.

“We have to make sure we keep Arnautovic quiet. That’s why you play international football, to play against these type of players.

“In the last game in Belfast it was Edin Dzeko, now it’s Arnautovic, and our players have to rise to that.”

With Bosnia in top spot on six points in Group B3 after winning their opening two games, victory is essential tonight if O’Neill’s men are to try and leapfrog the Bosnians and win the group come the final game in November.

While there is pressure, O’Neill insisted his players are in a great frame of mind following a week’s training camp.

Leeds keeper Bailey Pea-