Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LONGER..& STRONGER
Boss O’neill pens four-year contract extension as he vows to reinforce ageing squad
MICHAEL O’NEILL is confident Northern Ireland will be “stronger” heading into the new-look UEFA Nations League and Euro 2020 campaign.
While veteran players such as Gareth Mcauley, Chris Brunt and Aaron Hughes face decisions on their international futures, O’neill is eyeing up reinforcements.
A number of surprise new faces could be included in his squad for next month’s friendly with South Korea in Belfast and the summer tour to Panama and Costa Rica. QPR winger Paul Smyth (inset top) – who scored on his debut against Cardiff City last month – and pacy Norwich City left-back Jamal Lewis (inset below) have impressed.
Huddersfield winger Sean Scannell, whose father hails from Armagh, also remains an interesting option while O’neill will look to promote from the U21s.
Asked about the potential strength of his player pool for the Euro qualifiers, O’neill said: “I’m confident we’ll be stronger – we have a few more in the pipeline.
“Everyone has been saying the squad will get weaker but I think in 12 months time the squad will be stronger. We are working very hard on it. We are constantly looking at players who may be eligible and growing our player base.
“We have seen Paul Smyth having a great start at QPR. Jamal Lewis at Norwich has also made a breakthrough and he’s instantly on my radar.
“Ian Baraclough is also doing a great job with the U21s and hopefully three or four of those players can come through as well.”
O’neill is eager to keep the likes of seasoned West Brom duo Mcauley, 38, and 33-year-old Brunt on board for the next two years.
He said: “I’ve told them not to make any quick decisions. There is no rush. If some want to take a short break from international football and review their situation, fine. I want them to play on as long as they can. Their club situation is a big factor, the age some of them are and they maybe don’t know what lies ahead.
“Euro qualifying doesn’t start for 13 months and for some of the lads, it is difficult to see where they will be in a year’s time, but I want them to play on as long as they can.
“They certainly have another campaign in them. I’ll never close the door on any of them. Discussions have been positive, hopefully they will value playing on.”
As part of his new deal, which runs to 2024, O’neill also assumes the role of Chief Football Officer, overseeing the development of the game and the IFA’S elite performance pathway.