Irish offer SFA target Michael a new deal
I knew Michael would be a great when he turned up at the interview and gave me run-down on every player I had says Brechin City chief Ken Ferguson
THE Irish FA are planning to offer manager Michael O’Neill an extended contract with improved financial terms in a bid to keep him out of Scotland’s clutches.
The IFA insist they have not received any official approaches for their boss as yet but are bracing themselves for moves to be made for O’Neill, left, play-off heart break. following Northern
Ireland’s World Cup On Sunday they drew 0-0 in Switzerland, a result that sent them out on aggregate
KEN FERGUSON’S heart sank when he saw the pain etched on Michael O’Neill’s face after Northern Ireland’s failure to reach the World Cup.
But his chest will swell with pride if he’s looking down on the 48-year-old in the dugout on his next trip to Hampden to watch Scotland.
Ferguson was the man who handed O’Neill his first job in management when he appointed him Brechin City boss in 2006.
And the Glebe Park chief isn’t surprised to see him go on to enjoy the success he has to make him the SFA’s No.1 target to succeed Gordon Strachan.
Ferguson reckons the way O’Neill handled himself after the controversial penalty that proved the difference in their Russia 2018 play-off defeat by Switzerland showed his class.
And O’Neill’s qualities shone through in the Brechin chairman’s first meeting with the Northern Irishman when he interviewed him in a Dundee hotel. Ferguson reckons those attributes would stand Scotland in good stead if they can tempt O’Neill with a big-money deal after the pain of failure in Basel opened the door.
He said: “I can absolutely understand why the SFA would go for Michael because he ticks a whole pile of boxes.
“He lives in Edinburgh, his family’s there, he knows the Scottish scene and he’s got experience at international level.
“There will be negatives as well but if you’re looking at a process then to have gone through what he has in the last six years is massive to have on your CV for the type of candidate the SFA are looking for.
“If he became Scotland manager there would be pride for Brechin but we’d be pleased for him first of all. If it happens I would definitely go to his first game at Hampden and I would take a bit of satisfaction.
“I go to almost every Scotland game but it would be a different sort of feeling watching Michael.
“I saw the pictures of him at the end of the game in Switzerland and my heart sank for him. I know how he must have felt to have got so close to a World Cup.
“The players did everything they could with his guidance. He handled his emotions extremely well because it must have been so hard to miss out on the World Cup over a refereeing decision.
“He must have been tearing himself up inside but to turn his focus onto the players and give them his attention was typical of Michael.”
Ferguson admitted O’Neill’s preparation stood out when he first met the then assistant to Mixu Paatelainen at Cowdenbeath.
His career had taken him to top clubs on both sides of the border but was happy to get his hands dirty in the lower leagues
when it came to management. Still, O’Neill started with just two wins in nine games to make some City fans question the decision.
The chairman was even approached in a petrol station by one angry fan. Ferguson said: “I remember filling up my car one day and one of our long-time supporters lambasted me.
“He basically said, ‘He’ll never do the job, you are going to have to get rid of him’. I must admit I take a bit of pleasure when I see that individual now.”
But Ferguson had no doubts and he said: “The main thing at our level, especially for people who come from the full-time game, is understanding the phone never stops. It’s part time in name only.
“You only get to see your players maybe two nights for training and matchday itself so there’s not a lot of time to instil your philosophy.
“We were fortunate enough to get Michael to come to Brechin at the time we did. He was assistant at Cowdenbeath and we got a bit of a nod and a wink he might be interested.
“We first sat down with Michael in the old Apex Hotel in Dundee. He got what the club was about.
“For a guy to come from where he had in his career, sit down with us and suddenly know all about the strengths and weaknesses of Brechin players was impressive.
“We knew we got a nugget with Michael and we’d get a couple of seasons out of him and then he’d move on.
“When Shamrock Rovers came along it seemed a natural fit for him to get a full-time job and then he got the big one.
“He knew what path he wanted to go on so we don’t take credit for his development. We did our bit but he’s done 99 per cent of the work to get where he is and he deserves everything he’s getting.
“A few years ago at the CelticMalmo game I was in the boardroom and there was a wee tap on the shoulder and it was Michael.
“I hadn’t seen him for a while. We sat and took in the game together as if nothing had changed and that’s the biggest compliment I can pay him.”