Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
I’VE STILL A JOB TO DO HERE
O’neill: Getting to World Cup finals the only thing on my mind
NORWICH City target Michael O’neill has insisted that his only focus at present is guiding Northern Ireland to next year’s World Cup finals, declaring that the vacant post at Carrow Road may not be suitable for him. O’neill was at pains to point yesterday that he has not held talks with Norwich City about the vacant manager’s job, but it is understood that Canaries Sporting Director Stuart Webber has spoken with his representatives. The Northern Ireland boss is on a shortlist for the Norwich job which includes Fleetwood Town manager Uwe Rosler, Leeds United’s Garry Monk and Huddersfield Town’s David Wagner. O’neill, who is contracted to the IFA to 2020 on a £500,000 salary, has stated that despite the interest from Carrow Road he is fully concentrated on the World Cup qualifier away to Azerbaijan on June 10. “My name has been linked with different positions and that will happen in football when you are perceived to be doing a good job in the post you are in,” said O’neill, who was speaking at Windsor Park, where it was announced that Electric Ireland are the new lead sponsor of women’s football in Northern Ireland. “Looking in from the outside Norwich are going down a different structure, they are looking for a head coach as opposed to a manager and having been a manager all my days I see myself as a manager so realistically it is not something I would be looking for at this moment in time. “My focus, having managed my country for the last five years, is to continue in this role and obviously try to do everything to get us to the World Cup finals in Russia after reaching the Euro 2016 finals. “I’ve had a good chat with Patrick Nelson (IFA Chief Executive) and there’s been no official approach to the IFA and it’s not something I’m thinking about.” O’neill did admit, however, that if the right club job came around for him he would be interested. “When I signed my new contract last year I didn’t sign it on the basis that I was going to leave within a few months,” said O’neill. “The way football is now though opportunities come along in various forms and the Association and I know that if an opportunity is presented and it is right for me and right for the Association then we will sit down and talk about it. “For now my priority is our next game against Azerbaijan and building on what we have done so far in the campaign.” O’neill revealed that he has been keeping a close eye on developments at Norwich in recent years because Kyle Lafferty and Michael Mcgovern played for the club. With the former moving on in the summer the Northern Ireland boss intends having a conversation with the striker. O’neill added that Liam Boyce is closing in on a starting role for Northern Ireland following his exceptional form for Ross County in the Scottish Premiership. The IFA partnership with Electric Ireland, the official sponsor of the UEFA Women’s Under-19 Championship taking place here in August, aims to boost female participation in the country.