IRISH FA DEAL IN GAFFER
From Back Page after the Swiss won 1-0 at Windsor Park with a controversial penalty.
A number of influential players including Steven Davis and Jonny Evans are aware the 48-year-old is hot property and have urged O’Neill to stay and attempt to guide them to the Euro 2020 finals – for the second time in succession in that tournament.
But Northern Ireland fans fear after three qualifying campaigns in charge of his home country, O’Neill may seek a new challenge.
The SFA believe he could be the man to lead the nation to a first major competition since 1998. USA are also believed to be interested while O’Neill has been linked with the vacant Rangers and Sunderland posts.
O’Neill’s £500,000 a year contract runs until 2020 and he intends assessing his options in the weeks ahead. If a Premier League club want him they would have to pay the IFA £750,000 but the figure would be lower for other countries or an English Championship side.
An Irish FA spokesperson said: “There has been no approach and Michael is contracted to the Irish FA until 2020.”
The IFA are intent on keeping O’Neill. They believe with him at the helm they can continue their run. And it’s understood they’d offer him an extension to his deal with a rise in salary if it would persuade him to stay.
Experienced players such as Aaron Hughes, 38, Gareth McAuley, 37, and Chris Brunt, 32, are more likely to retire from international football if O’Neill is not Northern Ireland boss.
After the match in Switzerland, O’Neill told the senior players to take their time before making a decision about their futures.
What gives the IFA hope O’Neill may opt to continue is the emergence of two exciting young players. Kilmarnock star Jordan Jones made an impressive debut as a substitute against the Swiss while Millwall midfielder George Saville also made a classy first start.
Jones yesterday insisted he’s desperate for O’Neill to carry on with his country.
He said: “He’s done a fantastic job. You hear about team spirit. But once you are there, you realise how close everybody is. That’s testament to what a good job he’s done.
“It’s up to him what he does with his career. But if it was up to the players, and probably the whole country, he would stay.” Murty. Here is a man who won’t cost the earth and he will use the tools already in the box.
“He will get Jamie Walker, Kenny McLean and Louis Moult in January and offload the dross. Rangers will then have a team that can secure second position.”
If callers were hard to please over O’Neill’s achievements with Northern Ireland then it was the same with Celtic’s recent success.
emailed: “Celtic, with the biggest resources in Scottish football, have won five league titles in the absence of four of the biggest clubs in Scotland during that period – Rangers, Hearts, Hibs and Dundee United. This has been lauded as a magnificent achievement.
“If the English Premier League suffered an aberration and Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool were all relegated for a period of five years, during which Man City, with the biggest resources in English football, won five league titles in the absence of those four biggest clubs in England, would City’s achievement be viewed as magnificent?”
But countered that and said: “What an achievement if Celtic can become the first team in history to do a double treble.
“With defenders back from injury and Moussa Dembele back to his £40million form this could be one of the greatest seasons in Celtic’s history.”
The World Cup line-up is now complete and there will be no place for Italy and legendary keeper Gigi Buffon who has hung up his international gloves.
said: “Buffon is one of the greatest keepers of all time and if he has indeed played his last game it’s a pity it had to end like this.”
But was less sympathetic and said: “I enjoyed seeing Italy go out. They met a team using the same tactics they used against Scotland at Hampden in 2007.
“This time the referee was having none of their playacting. Now they know the frustration felt by many teams over the years.” CALL THE HOTLINE FROM 11 TILL 12 NOON on: 0141 309 3306 or email us: hotline@dailyrecord.co.uk