Walford says FAI were wrong to axe O’Neill
STEVE WALFORD felt the FAI were ‘wrong’ to part company with Martin O’Neill as Republic of Ireland manager and believes O’Neill would have led the team to the Euro finals for a second time. He also reckoned that the Derry man would have won the Premier League with Liverpool, if he’d been given the opportunity. The former Ireland coach, who sat beside O’Neill on match days prior to stepping back for personal reasons in September, is unconvinced about the new-look Ireland management, headed by Mick McCarthy. Asked on Talksport about O’Neill’s exit, Walford said: ‘It was wrong. I was really shocked when Martin left. ‘The last 10 games were not great, there were lots of injuries to key players. I was really shocked. I really expected Ireland to qualify [for the Euros].’ On McCarthy’s appointment, he said: ‘They (FAI) might think it’s a step forward; I’m not so sure.’ In a rare interview yesterday, Walford, 61, revealed O’Neill was not pleased when he quit as coach before the Nations League double-header with Denmark and Wales. ‘When I left in September, I’m not sure if Martin was all that happy,’ he said. ‘But I wasn’t enjoying it any more, being away, being in each other’s company all the time. ‘When Martin signed [his new deal], he talked me into staying. Come September I said I didn’t enjoy it any more and left.’ Walford, who rates O’Neill highly and worked alongside him for 24 years, acknowledged the Ireland team ‘took too many chances’ in the 2018 World Cup play-off loss at home to Denmark, a result which stung the manager and has dogged him since. ‘He should have had bigger jobs in the Premier League with clubs with a chance to win it. He’d have won it if given the chance. With Liverpool, definitely, he’d have won it,’ he added. Walford is keen to return to football, this time as a manager, rather than a coach.