SCOTS CHASING MICHAEL O’NEILL —
NORTHERN IRELAND face an increasingly desperate battle to hold on to manager Michael O’Neill following their failure to reach the World Cup finals.
Scotland have installed O’Neill as their No.1 choice to replace Gordon Strachan, and the 48year-old has also been linked with the vacant US national team post.
He is expected to leave the Northern Ireland job after five and a half years in charge, during which time he led the country to its first European Championship finals and the brink of a first World Cup in 32 years before last Sunday’s play-off defeat to Switzerland on aggregate.
O’Neill, who lives in Edinburgh, could double his current salary if he accepts an offer from the Scottish FA worth up to £1million a year, including a sizeable bonus for reaching Euro 2020.
It’s understood that the £750,000 compensation figure in the contract he signed in March last year would be significantly less if he joins another national team.
The IFA are aware of the interest from Scotland who want a new manager in place by the end of the year ahead of a tour of Morocco in March.
The SFA will not rush into an approach but they are aware that O’Neill is likely to attract interest from the USA, who parted company with Bruce Arena last month, and a number of clubs in England and Major League Soccer.
The former Newcastle winger has family in Chicago and is known to be interested in coaching in America having previously played for Portland Timbers.
As the players came to terms with the end of their World Cup dream in Basel, West Brom defender Jonny Evans accepted that O’Neill may seek a new challenge.
‘As a manager, he’s unbelievable,’ said Evans. ‘We all love him and every single player plays for him. He’s such a good manager and it would be a shame to lose him.
‘But we know on the other side, management is such a difficult job. If something came up, where it would be difficult to turn down, no-one would ever begrudge him that.’
Meanwhile Basel face a race against time to get their ‘disgraceful’ pitch in shape for the Champions League tie against Manchester United next week.
The surface at St-Jakob Park cut up badly during Northern Ireland’s World Cup play-off against Switzerland on Sunday night following a day of torrential rain in the Swiss city.
Basel have 10 days before hosting United in a Group A tie next Wednesday, but they also have a home game against FC Sion at the weekend.
Northern Ireland midfielder George Saville was fiercely critical of the pitch that made it difficult to play passing football. German referee Felix Brych made two inspections before kick-off while ground staff threw sand on the worst affected areas.
‘For me, the pitch was disgraceful,’ said Saville, who was on Chelsea’s books when Jose Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge in 2013. ‘I think it was shocking. For a game of this magnitude, to play on a pitch like that I think it’s unacceptable, personally.’