Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CALL OF DUTY
Former Northern Ireland keeper Tommy admits it would be impossible for him to say no if his country came knocking
TOMMY WRIGHT last night admitted it would be impossible to turn down Northern Ireland if he is asked to replace Michael O’neill as manager.
The St Johnstone boss will be the Irish FA’S No.1 choice if O’neill becomes Scotland manager and Wright insists being in the frame would be the stuff of dreams.
After leading Saints to their first ever Scottish Cup triumph three years ago and securing a string of Europa League qualifications, Wright (54) has been linked with several club jobs, with Perth chairman Steve Brown rebuffing a move from Tayside rivals Dundee United.
But Wright (right) would find it hard – even impossible – to turn his back on his country if O’neill moves on and the call comes in from Belfast.
“It is nice that people who might have inside information seem to think that I would be a candidate if the job does become available,” he said.
“I played for my country and I have captained them. I finished playing and went into management and I see it as the pinnacle for any manager or coach to take charge of your own national team.
“It would be a natural progression for any manager with ambitions to see your own national team job as the most important one of them all. Northern Ireland have a brilliant manager at the moment and I have been linked with managerial jobs before. But I think this is different.
“If you are a player I believe the pinnacle is international football. I know some people don’t believe that nowadays but I do.
“If I had finished with one cap for my country I’d have been happy but I ended up with 31 and captained the side three or four times.
“I remember my first game when George Best threw mud at the referee and got sent off.
Scotland were lucky to get a 1-0 win against us.
“I was carried out of the ground on my dad’s shoulders when I was only six or seven years old.
“I have my campaign cards and I go to games whenever I can. I am still a supporter and I have worked as a coach.
“Your country is your country and I don’t think anybody could refuse a call if it ever came.
“It’s a job that any Northern Ireland coach or manager would want.
“But anything linking me to the job is purely speculation because the Northern Ireland job isn’t available right now. And it is speculation about a job my best friend is in.”
Wright, who cut his teeth in management with Limavady, Ballymena and Lisburn Distillery before coming to Scotland as assistant to Steve Lomas six years ago, said: “I spoke to Michael yesterday. We have been friends for 30 years come January.
“We always catch-up after international games and he had a moan about some of the decisions that went against them against Switzerland.
“The thing that probably surprises me most is that he hasn’t had the opportunity of a move before now.
“He does have a decision to make now because Scotland have made their interest officially known. There is also talk of the USA and Sunderland.
“Northern Ireland will try to keep him and as a supporter I hope he stays and continues the good work he has done.
“But I believe Michael has earned the right to have this much interest being shown in him and to make a decision which he feels is right for his next challenge.
“He will have a challenge with whatever option he takes. If he takes the Scotland job that is a new challenge for him and it would be the same if he fancied club football.
“If he stays with Northern Ireland he will be starting again with a new campaign. He will make his decision based on what he thinks is best for him.”