Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
O’NEILL GIVES BIGGEST HINT YET THAT HE’S STAYING ON
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.
West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland have also been interested in O’neill (right) but now those positions have been filled by Alan Pardew and Chris Coleman respectively.
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. This reared its head a considerable time ago actually when Gordon Strachan had had a couple of bad results but he turned that campaign around and they missed out in the final game.
“Then when Gordon left my name crops up again. 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.
“As I’ve said all along I signed a four-year contract with the IFA and the conditions of that contract permit me to speak to people if things are done properly.
“The thing people have to realise is that even if you speak to someone it doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to leave the job you are in.
“I’m also speaking to the IFA about the future as well.”