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Michael O\u2019Neill has stopped short of confirming he will remain in charge of Northern Ireland until March in the likely scenario that they reach the Euro 2020 qualifiers.<\/p>\nMichael O\u2019Neill has stopped short of confirming he will remain in charge of Northern Ireland until March in the likely scenario that they reach the Euro 2020 qualifiers.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Neill was appointed boss of Stoke last week but the announcement from both the Potters and the Irish FA said O\u2019Neill would manager Northern Ireland for the rest of the qualifying campaign \u2013 whether that journey ends against Germany in Frankfurt on Tuesday or more likely next spring.<\/p>\n
A number of players have expressed hope he would stay until the summer if Northern Ireland qualify, but O\u2019Neill is wary of the pressures of juggling both roles and did not want to give a definitive answer on the eve of Saturday\u2019s penultimate Group C qualifier against Holland.<\/p>\n
Northern Ireland are all but guaranteed a play-off place, but asked if he would be in charge, O\u2019Neill said: \u201cThat\u2019s the plan at the minute.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pressed on the matter, he repeated himself once before adding: \u201cI think I answered your question, I\u2019m sure I did.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, O\u2019Neill insisted the Stoke job \u2013 which brought a 4-2 away win over Barnsley in his only match so far \u2013 had been no significant distraction in the build-up to this international window.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was only a club manager for one day,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve only been there one day, which was Friday. One day\u2019s training and then we played the game, so I haven\u2019t had that much time to be a club manager. I\u2019m still very much an international manager, while still keeping abreast of things at the club.<\/p>\n
\u201cI genuinely don\u2019t think it\u2019s an issue. The work which the (Stoke) players are doing which has been set by me is being handled by my staff and we\u2019re pleased with what\u2019s going on there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Automatic qualification is still theoretically possible but highly unlikely since Northern Ireland conceded two stoppage-time goals to lose 3-1 to Holland in Rotterdam last month. That left them needing to record healthy victories over both the Dutch and the Germans in the coming days.<\/p>\n
The most likely play-off permutations at present would see Northern Ireland playing away from home next year so Saturday stands to be O\u2019Neill\u2019s final game in charge at Windsor Park.<\/p>\n
It is sure to be an emotional night given his achievements over the last eight years, but O\u2019Neill vowed not to get caught up in it given his side still have something to play for.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe week for me has been no different from any other week, it genuinely hasn\u2019t,\u201d he said. \u201cWe got the work done, the players have been very focused, more focused than they\u2019ve been in the past, maybe hoping me as a club manager may sign them! They\u2019ve been extra attentive.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the start of an incredibly difficult double-header and while we have an outside chance of qualification, we will do everything we can to take it to the final game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Time is running down for O\u2019Neill\u2019s tenure, but the 50-year-old suggested he could one day return to the job.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe I\u2019m young enough that in the future I could come back?\u201d he said. \u201cThe thing for me is we have gone to a major championships, missed out on a World Cup unfairly and we\u2019re in the running to try and qualify again for a major championship.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s been done with brilliant application from the players. I\u2019m very grateful for the job the IFA gave me, I didn\u2019t anticipate doing it for eight years.\u201d<\/p>\n