WILL MICK BE AN OB MAN OUT?

MICHAEL OBAFEMI won’t travel to Denmark with the Ireland squad next week as he still has a decision to make on his international future. While the teenage Southampton striker could make his debut in tonight’s friendly with Northern Ireland, he is reluctant to tie himself in a competitive game. Obafemi, 18, is still eligible for Nigeria and England and O’neill says he does not want to rush the teenager into a decision he may regret. “Total commitment, he didn’t say that to me. Nor, let’s be fair to me, I didn’t press him on it,” said O’neill. “That’s primarily because I haven’t had the opportunity to speak to his family in that aspect. “Am I confident [he will declare for Ireland]? I’m always hopeful. I think I’ve always said that. I’ve been hopeful about Declan Rice. “I can only be confident about something that I know I’m in control of. I’m not in control of other people’s decisions, particularly issues like this which are very, very important.” O’neill has been impressed by Obafemi in training this week and said he adjusted to the step up with the minimum of fuss. “Even if he does declare, do I want to go to Denmark and (play him) and then suddenly someone changes his mind later on? “I’m not sure yet. But, overall, yeah, I would be hopeful. I’ve not spoken to his parents but I’ve spoken to him. “If he rushed in here and said this is exactly what he wanted to do and he was fine with it, it would be a different issue.”