Manager says Stoke talk will not affect his Irish standing

He did confirm that the terms and conditions still had to be ironed out when the FAI announced in October that a verbal agreement had been reached on his future.

In the aftermath of the heavy defeat to Denmark a month later, he took time to mull over his future and indicated that walking away was an option.

“But I think as John (Delaney) mentioned, I’m not one that is liable to take myself off at a moment’s notice,” he said.

“I’ve been here for four years as well and I wouldn’t take things too lightly. I’m here and delighted to be here.

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“I’ve an excellent relationship with John and the board, really good and I think that those things are very, very important – a good relationship with my employers.

“Some things get forgotten, great, great moments that we’ve had – beating the world champions, qualifying for the Euros, being in the last 16 of the Euros, and not getting beaten away from home in the qualification for Russia and actually finishing two places above where we should have. I think I have to take all of those things into consideration and I did do. After reflection, I’m delighted to be here.”

O’Neill has signed a two-year contract extension with Ireland along with his backroom staff and batted away a slightly optimistic question about whether he would even be interested in sticking around beyond that.

“Listen, obviously, there are lots of things that could happen,” he said.

“I couldn’t foresee Friday morning, never mind anything else.”