O’neill set for stay in NI hotseat
SPFL chief-executive Neil Doncaster last night hit back at Celtic skipper Scott Brown by insisting that he was powerless to help the Hoops in Europe due to a congested fixture list.
Earlier this month Brown (right) lashed out at the SPFL after the Hoops were forced to play Motherwell THREE times within six days as they prepared for a Champions League group clash against Anderlecht.
Doncaster said: “One was a league game, one was a re-arranged league game and the other was a cup final.
“There is relatively little we can do to avoid instances like that from happening from time to time. We already have a very congested fixture schedule.” MICHAEL O’NEILL has spoken about how he is looking forward to
Northern Ireland’s friendlies and UEFA’S new Nations League tournament next year.
The manager’s future has been the subject of much speculation since the World Cup play-off defeat to Switzerland last month, with Scotland making him their No1 target to replace Gordon Strachan.
O’neill said he was ‘surprised’ at how the Scottish FA had gone about trying to recruit him with it becoming public knowledge he was the man they wanted. He insisted that it was ‘business as usual’ as far as he was concerned with Northern Ireland.
“It was very disappointing to lose against Switzerland. We have to get over the disappointment and look forward,” O’neill told Cool FM.
“It’s very much now getting round to games to see the players and focusing on what games we have. The next international date is March and the following international date is in the summer.
“There is the Nations League tournament as well. There is a lot of speculation about my future but it is business as usual.”
O’neill has held discussions with the IFA about the offer of a new six-year contract.
But on the Scotland job he added: “It’s not driven by me. I have always said that. I’m a little bit surprised the SFA have gone about it the way they have but at this minute in time, until I’m given permission to speak to anyone, I’m firmly focused on the job I’m in.”