O’NEILL: ‘I COULD BE TEMPTED TO RETURN’

MARTIN O’NEILL hinted last night that his management career may not be over. Former Republic of Ireland boss O’Neill, 69, who has been out of the game since being sacked in June 2019 by Nottingham Forest, claimed last night that he was still open to considering any offers that might ‘develop’. ‘I probably have hidden behind this pandemic and taken a break,’ he said. ‘That enthusiasm I had for the games anyway, Gaelic and soccer, hadn’t really left, so I will have a little look at these things and see what develops. ‘But I haven’t just exactly gone into a cave yet, although who knows,’ said O’Neill, speaking on a webinar hosted by Queens University to mark the 50th anniversary of the GAA’s lifting its infamous ban rule. O’Neill also told last night’s event that despite his strong Irish identity, he was not conflicted when he interviewed to become England manager in 2006. ‘Yes, it certainly crossed my mind when I went for the interview, I must admit. ‘Like everything else, life changes. First of all I think you look at those particular things in management, you look at them as jobs, as much as anything else.’ zST MIRREN manager Jim Goodwin has been hit with a three-match SFA ban for remonstrating with referee Don Robertson after a costly 1-1 draw against Hamilton last month. Found guilty of misconduct, Goodwin will be barred from the technical area for tonight’s Scottish Cup last-16 tie against Inverness Caledonian Thistle and next Wednesday’s league meeting with Ross County. The third game is suspended until the end of this year. ‘I said one or two things I probably regret now,’ said Goodwin. ‘But we’re all emotional at times.’