MICHAEL O’Neill looks poised to step down as Northern Ireland manager and move to Stoke City.
Unconfirmed reports last night claimed that Ballymena native O’Neill had accepted a lucrative four-year deal from the struggling English Championship outfit who were negotiating a six-figure compensation package with the Irish Football Association.
It is understood that if O’Neill, whose eight years as Northern Ireland manager included qualification for the 2016 European Championships, does leave there will be an overlap between his international and club careers.
He is expected to see out the remainder of the North’s Euro 2020 fixtures. O’Neill’s men currently sit third in Group C with a home game against group leaders Holland on November 16, followed by a trip to Frankfurt to take on second-placed Germany three days later.
O’Neill was in the frame to become Celtic manager back in 2016 but the Parkhead board opted for Carnlough native Brendan Rodgers instead. Since then he has turned down offers from Middlesbrough and Sunderland and, amid swirling speculation last night, former Northern Ireland and Spurs striker Gerry Armstrong predicted that O’Neill would also reject Stoke’s overtures.
“He’s going nowhere,” said Armstrong.
“Stoke are interested but he’s going to stay with Northern Ireland. English clubs have come in for him before and he’s turned them down and I don’t see any difference here. I’d be surprised if he went.”
O’Neill will have a demanding challenge on his hands if he does decide to swap Windsor Park for the Britannia Stadium. He will become the club’s fifth manager since Mark Hughes was sacked in January last year and that lack of continuity has had a detrimental impact on the club’s results.
After just two wins and two draws from 15 games this season, Stoke are currently sitting bottom of the Championship, two points behind Barnsley, the side they take on tomorrow in what could be O’Neill’s first game in charge.
Former Stoke City winger Gerry McMahon played alongside O’Neill for Northern Ireland and predicts that his one-time room-mate will get the best out of underperforming players including Republic of Ireland star James McClean, Wales internationals Joe Allen and Sam Vokes and England goalkeeper Jack Butland.
“It’s a Premier League club, it has Premier League stature,” said McMahon.
“It’ll be a hard task for him but if anybody can do it, Michael can do it. He’s a brilliant guy, really intelligent and he knows his football. His results for Northern Ireland show that and he’ll be a big loss to them.
“Stoke have gone through a lot of managers because of where they were in the Premier League. The fans want to see good football and that’s why they got rid of Tony Pulis in the first place.
“He had them playing in a certain way that got them into the Premier League and kept them in it. They were stable there but the fans decided they wanted to see something different and Michael definitely won’t play like Pulis played.
“If he does go he’ll check out the tools he has. There are good players now and I’m sure Michael will get the best out of them.”
O’Neill was appointed Northern Ireland manager after spells at Brechin City and Shamrock Rovers on his CV. If he does decide that the time is right for him to walk away, the list of potential successors includes Stephen Robinson (Motherwell manager), St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright, Northern Ireland U21 boss Ian Baraclough, Linfield’s David Healy and former Republic of Ireland manager and Northern Ireland player Martin O’Neill.
