Latest news with #MichaelO'Neill
Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Michael O'Neill on why it wouldn't be a failure if new-era Northern Ireland don't reach a major tournament Finals
Michael O'Neill believes it will be a 'disappointment but not a failure' if Northern Ireland miss out on qualification for the Finals of a major tournament during his second stint as a boss. First time around as international manager, O'Neill inspired the team to Euro 2016, ending a 30-year wait for the country to play in the glamour stages of a big competition.
Belfast Telegraph
6 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Veteran NI striker insists he will not play ‘victim' as he aims to win back his international place
The experienced Euro 2016 hero remains out in the cold for the friendlies against Denmark and Iceland in June. Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill wants to look at other forward options such as Dion Charles, Lee Bonis, Dale Taylor and Ronan Hale. Magennis, who has impressed with Exeter City, turns 35 in August and now faces a fight to add to his 82 caps. 'It was a hard one to take, obviously, I'm not going to lie,' said the former Aberdeen man. 'Michael's the manager and it's his rationale and his thought process. As much as I didn't agree with it and it took me a couple of days to come round, I could understand it because eventually I'm going to hopefully, God willing, be a manager or a coach. 'It's a coach's job to always make the team better. If Michael thought that by seeing other players playing friendlies before we went into the World Cup, because the World Cup is what really matters, then he's every right to do so. 'So, I had to reframe my thought process in terms of getting away from the victim mentality. I never wanted that to happen. Football is an ever-evolving game. 'It doesn't wait around for anyone. So, my thought process quickly went from feeling that I should be in the squad to why am I not in the squad to, well, you've just got to get back to work.'
Belfast Telegraph
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Michael O'Neill on why he's no interest in club return… and piece of Northern Ireland history he has set his sights on
Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill has revealed he has no interest in another shot at club management at this point in time, although he admitted the international job may not be his last. Proud to be approaching 100 games as Northern Ireland supremo, O'Neill also explained that his target is to surpass the number of matches the great Billy Bingham led the country in and urged his young team when the World Cup qualifying campaign comes around in September not to waste the opportunity it presents.
Belfast Telegraph
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Northern Ireland withdraw from youth tournament that set Steven Davis and Conor Bradley on their way to stardom
Exclusive | Northern Ireland have pulled out of the famous Victory Shield youth tournament that set the likes of Norman Whiteside, Michael O'Neill, David Healy, Aaron Hughes, Steven Davis, Jonny Evans and Conor Bradley on their international football journey. The Irish FA confirmed to Sunday Life Sport that they have withdrawn from the competition 100 years after it was first played as a 'strategic step designed to allow us to reshape and refocus our Under-16 programme'.
BBC News
26-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
NI exposed to 'level above' in Sweden loss
After Friday's draw with Switzerland, Michael O'Neill warned there were would be bumps on the road on the journey of his young Northern Ireland few would have expected one to come so soon, or it be one of the size faced in Tuesday's 5-1 defeat in are a better team than their Nations League C status indicates, and in Newcastle United's Alexander Isak they have a world-class star at the helm. But, fuelled by their defeat by Luxembourg, Sweden and Isak put on a clinical display in Stockholm."We obviously didn't come here to have a score-line like we had tonight, but we knew it would be a tough game," said O'Neill."I think 5-1 is maybe a bit harsh on us, but at the end of the day we did give them opportunities and at this level they will punish you." Northern Ireland's journey of progression has been a story of fearless youngsters and, largely, there's been plenty for the Green and White Army to cheer about. With a starting team with an average age of 22.6 - the joint-second youngest fielded by Northern Ireland since 1946 - it was another bright start before things quickly came unstuck on seven minutes. Wary of Isak, possibly the most in-form striker in world football, the NI defence got caught ball watching and that allowed the unmarked Emil Holm to fire home the first-choice defenders Conor Bradley and Trai Hume on the right-hand side, Sweden cut through the pair of Terry Devlin, making his first start, and Ruairi McConville, on his third cap, and that led to Pierce Charles, himself with only six caps, to push the ball into the path of Benjamin Sema added a third, while Isak powered home a superb fourth and Nottingham Forest's Anthony Elanga added a damage was done before Isaac Price scored his eighth international goal with a deflection as the clock ticked into injury time."I thought probably 2-0 was a little bit harsh on us at half-time, and then the third goal is a poor goal for us to lose off a set-piece," said O'Neill, while stressing "you always learn in international football"."In all honesty the attitude of the team was great. They never stopped trying to play. It was a tough night but that's why we took a game like this."We're asking a lot of young players who aren't playing every week for their clubs. They are not exposed to this level and this quality of player."Sweden have some top, top players – particularly at the top end of the pitch. It's a benchmark, for our players all of these games are a step up." O'Neill wants his team to learn. That's the whole point of facing teams like Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark ahead of a World Cup qualifying campaign that has paired them with Germany, Slovakia and the result is what it is, and downbeat demeanor of the players post-match said it all, the impact of the defeat will only become clear in the next two fixtures and beyond. Next up, there's more Scandinavian flavour as NI travel to Copenhagen and welcome Iceland to Windsor will be another chance to learn, another chance to grow. "There's another level above this - we have to go and play Germany - so we know what's in store for us but we can only get better as a team if we expose ourselves to this level of opposition," O'Neill said. "We've a tough game, a pot one team in Denmark and then Iceland, who are a similar nation to ourselves. "We played a Spanish team who were the best in Europe by a distance. We have to recognise we have a generation of young players who hopefully will continue to improve."As the players return to their clubs, O'Neill added his oft-repeated warning about minutes on the pitch."I can't say for certain to what level we get to, that will be determined by what level they get to with their clubs. "But I still think we had some good individual performance tonight. It's part of the learning curve for them."
