Latest news with #MichaelONeill
BBC News
13 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Washington wants to give O'Neill 'something to think about'
Striker Conor Washington says he wants to give Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill "something to think about" as he looks to return to 32-year-old is a free agent and looking for a new club after an injury-hit spell at Derby after his last international cap against Denmark in November 2023, Washington was sidelined for four months after he injured his ankle in a "freak accident"."Would I like to be involved? Of course I would," Washington said about a Northern Ireland return. "The plan is to get myself a club, get myself back playing and give Michael something to think about." With his run of injuries and falling down the pecking order at Derby County, Washington admits he "hasn't done enough on the radar" for a Northern Ireland recall."I'm not naive about that, so I've got no doubt that if I get myself fit and playing at a decent level then the door would remain open, I hope. "I'm sure people will be ringing Michael to get references over the next few months so hopefully I can get back in his thinking. "I feel like I'm in a good spot, I feel good physically, I've trained for a few months and have played Under-21s games so I can kick on for one more campaign if the chance arises." Bradley looks 'unplayable' While Washington is one of the senior players at the disposal of O'Neill, Northern Ireland's squad has shifted towards a focus on youth after several players broke into senior Bradley is perhaps the most high profile of those players after helping Liverpool win the Premier League. Washington has been impressed by the young players, and says Bradley has "everything you want" and "fantastic to watch"."He'd been thrust into the limelight with Northern Ireland so it probably gave him the chance to assess his game, get stronger, quicker. He looks unplayable at times."He came in as a scrawny 16, 17-year-old and to see him now on the biggest stages, not just getting by but affecting games, getting assists, putting Mbappe in his pocket. "It's an enjoyable experience as you get older to see players like that flourish."
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Players' club successes can help NI careers
Northern Ireland first team coach Steven Davis says recent successes enjoyed by members of Michael O'Neill's squad at club level should help their progression in the international game.A number of players were part of crucial occasions for their teams in recent weeks ahead of Northern Ireland's forthcoming friendlies away to Denmark on 7 June and home to Iceland on 10 June."You just have to look at some of the individual seasons the players have had, obviously Conor [Bradley] winning the Premier League [with Liverpool], Justin Devenny winning the FA Cup [with Crystal Palace] and Trai Hume and Dan Ballard being promoted to the Premier League with Sunderland," said Davis in an interview with BBC Sport NI."It's vital that the players continue to progress at their clubs and that's what they're doing, they just have to continue to develop. "Ultimately they come in better placed into the international set-up if that's the case."The 140-times capped international reflected that there had been "a lot of progression within the group over the last 12 or 18 months" with a series of positive results and the team topping their Nations League upcoming friendly double-header will act as preparation for the start of World Cup qualifying in September."These games are vital because the time you get with the players is so limited in international football so whenever you do get together it's important you maximise that time, reinforce your ideas and add layers to them. "The level of opposition in the two games will test us too."We're coming up against stiff opposition [in World Cup qualifying] in Germany, Slovakia and Luxembourg, it's a difficult group but these two games coming up are great preparation for us." 'Seeing a different side of O'Neill' Davis says he is enjoying working under O'Neill as part of his backroom team."He's demanding, which he should be and you have to be. He's very detailed. I thought that as a player too. "Obviously you get to see a little bit of a different side as part of the coaching staff and we spend a lot of time together analysing things."He's very open to our opinions as coaching staff, which is great for me, you can give your opinions, and ultimately he makes the decisions."The former Rangers midfielder is currently working towards his Uefa Pro Licence qualification and explains that he harbours ambitions of being a manager one day."You only get it [coaching ability] by getting experience, by being in and around it. That's the best learning curve you can get - real life situations, and more time on the grass as well. That's how you develop."We'll see where it takes us. I do eventually have ambitions to be a manager but at this moment in time it's important I continue to learn."
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Magennis still has 'a lot to offer' Northern Ireland
Experienced striker Josh Magennis is targeting a Northern Ireland return, admitting he can "never be comfortable" with being left out of a squad. Manager Michael O'Neill omitted the 34-year-old frontman from March's friendlies to assess new forward options, but said the door would remain open for surgery has ruled Magennis out of June's games with Denmark and Iceland. but the Exeter City forward is aiming for a return when World Cup qualifying begins in September."You can never be comfortable being left out of a squad," said Magennis, who has 12 goals in 82 Northern Ireland caps. "That's your own selfish ego, but you have to try and see the bigger picture. "Similar happened to me when I came into the squad, when Michael wanted to see me but there were other players before me and he knew what they could do."Magennis added that he still "has got a lot to offer" his country after scoring 12 goals in all competitions for League One side Exeter during the 2024-25 season."It's up to me to continue to perform and keep my head down, and be ready to go whenever that opportunity comes again," Magennis added."I still feel like I've got a lot to offer. I feel like I'm progressing and doing well, so I'm not slowing down any time soon."While recovering from surgery, Magennis is working on his coaching badges with the Irish FA and says "it's a passion that I've got" when his playing career comes to a close."I'll continue to play as long as I possibly can. I'm still enjoying playing football, but unfortunately in every dream you have to wake up and for me that's getting closer and closer as the seasons go on. "It's a passion I've got now to understand the game, learn the game and develop players as much as I can."
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Danielle Lloyd displays her weight loss after losing two from stress following shock cancer diagnosis that left her fearing she was 'going to die'
Danielle Lloyd has displayed her weight loss after losing two stone from stress following shock cancer diagnosis that left her fearing she was 'going to die'. The model and TV host, 41, was diagnosed with the deadliest form of skin cancer, Melanoma, in February and was so terrified she struggled to eat and sleep. Danielle, who is now cancer free, took to her Instagram on Sunday with before and after snaps of herself in underwear and showed off her shrinking frame. She captioned the post: 'Following my recent skin cancer diagnosis, I've been committed to improving my overall well-being'. It comes after Danielle told The Sun: 'Being a mum, I was trying to put a brave face on for everyone, but inside I've been crumbling. I was worried every single day that I was going to die.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Danielle shares Archie, 14, Harry, 13, and George, 11, with ex-husband Jamie O'Hara. She is mother to Ronnie, seven, and Autumn Rose, three, with husband Michael O'Neill. Symptoms of melanoma include a new mole or changes to an existing mole, which is exactly what happened to the star, when she noticed one on her collarbone was changing shape. After tragically losing a friend to bowel cancer the previous year, she knew it was worth investigating and visited her GP, who referred her onto a dermatologist who advised removal. This took place in December, but Danielle had to wait an agonising nine weeks before she was diagnosed with melanoma. Recalling her reaction, she said: 'I just burst into tears. I wasn't expecting it. When I heard the word 'cancer', I just thought, "That's it, I'm going to die."' She then had to have the skin surrounding the mole removed as a preventative measure as doctors worked to establish whether or not the cancer had spread. Danielle said she told her older kids who were old enough to understand that she had cancer but refrained from telling her younger children as she did not want them to jump to the worst case scenario. Thankfully, eight weeks after her February procedure, Danielle was told she was cancer free. Danielle shared a tearful video to Instagram in February which she revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer after noticing a change to one of her moles. She then detailed the emotional moment she told her eldest sons Archie - who she welcomed with her ex-husband Jamie O'Hara - about her diagnosis. Danielle revealed she hasn't told her two younger children - who she shares with her husband Michael O'Neill - because they wouldn't understand. 'I told the older three but not the younger two. Ronnie is at an age where he wouldn't really understand, he'd hear that word and think I was going to die,' she told Closer. 'It was difficult telling the older boys, Harry asked me if my hair was going to fall out. 'It's hard because they're still young, so I don't know if they fully understand - which is a good thing because I don't want to put a strain on them.' Danielle also recalled the moment she was told she had skin cancer after she visited the doctors to get a 'very small' mole on her collarbone checked when she noticed it had changed shape. It is not the first time Danielle has had a cancer scare as she was rushed to hospital in 2023 after suffering from heavy bleeding. Doctors then discovered she had large cysts on her ovaries, but was thankfully told they were non-cancerous after undergoing a biopsy. She also found a lump in her breast last year and was given the all-clear in October after a biopsy discovered the lump was benign. What is malignant melanoma? Malignant melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that begins in melanocytes, cells found in the upper layer of skin that produce melanin, which gives skin its colour. While less common that other types of skin cancer, it is more dangerous because of its ability to spread to other organs more rapidly if it is not treated at an early stage. Symptoms A new mole or a change in an existing mole may be signs of melanoma. Melanomas can appear anywhere on your body, but they're more common in areas that are often exposed to the sun. Some rarer types can affect the eyes, soles of the feet, palms of the hands or genitals. Check your skin for any unusual changes. Use a mirror or ask a partner or friend to check any areas you cannot see. In particular, look for: Moles with an uneven shape or edges Moles with a mix of colours Large moles - melanomas often tend to be more than 6mm wide Moles that change size, shape or colour over time Causes Ultraviolet (UV) light is the most common cause of melanoma. It comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds. Melanoma is more common in older people, but younger people can also get it. You're also more likely to get melanoma if you have: Pale skin that burns easily in the sun Red or blonde hair Blue or green eyes A large number of freckles or moles Had a lot of sun exposure and you've had sunburn a lot in the past Used sunbeds a lot A history of skin cancer in your family or you've had skin cancer before If you have black or brown skin, you have a lower chance of getting melanoma, but you can still get it. Prevention Staying safe in the sun is the best way to lower your chance of getting skin cancer (both melanoma and non-melanoma). Do the following: Stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day (11am to 3pm in the UK) Keep your arms and legs covered and wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses that provide protection against ultraviolet (UV) rays Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 and at least 4-star UVA protection – make sure you reapply it regularly Make sure babies and children are protected from the sun – their skin is much more sensitive than adult skin Treatment Melanoma skin cancer can often be treated. The treatment you have will depend on where it is, if it has spread and your general health. Surgery is the main treatment for melanoma. Radiotherapy, medicines and chemotherapy are also sometimes used. Surgery could involve removing the melanoma and an area of healthy skin around it, swollen lymph nodes if the cancer has spread to them and other parts of the body if it has spread to them. If a large part of skin has to be removed, a skin graft might be needed which could see kin taken from another part of the body to cover the area where the melanoma was. Radiotherpay is sometimes used to reduce the size of large melanomas and help control and relieve symptoms. Targeted medicines and immotherapy are used to treat melanomas that can't be dealt with by surgery, or have spread to lymph glands or other parts of the body. Chemotherapy, which kills cancer cells, is sometimes used to treat advanced melanoma when it has spread to another part of the body. It does not work as well as other treatments, but can be used if you are unable to have them. How dangerous is it? Generally for people with melanoma in England: almost all people (almost 100%) will survive their melanoma for 1 year or more after they are diagnosed around 90 out of every 100 people (around 90%) will survive their melanoma for 5 years or more after diagnosis more than 85 out of every 100 people (more than 85%) will survive their melanoma for 10 years or more after they are diagnosed
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Michael O'Neill standing firm on Ronan Hale opportunities as Ross County striker waits on senior bow
Michael O'Neill insists he will continue to judge Ronan Hale on how he is playing as the former Cliftonville forward waits for his senior Northern Ireland debut. O'Neill has called Hale up to the squad for a second time after he made the switch from the Republic of Ireland following a protracted international transfer. The Ross County star didn't feature in March's friendlies against Switzerland and Sweden, but for O'Neill there is no pressure just to give Hale minutes. READ MORE: Former Newcastle Utd star Michael O'Neill makes his thoughts clear on Sunderland's play-off hopes READ MORE: Rhys Marshall reflects on career highlights as he hangs up his boots The Northern Ireland boss highlighted Hale's upturn in form again as he bagged his 17th goal of the season in Thursday night's Premiership relegation play-off against Livingston with O'Neill predicting the striker will play some part in next month's friendlies against Denmark and Iceland. "He wasn't the only player that didn't play in the last squad," said O'Neill when asked about Hale's lack of minutes for his country so far. "I have to judge Ronan on how Ronan's playing. I don't judge him on that he did a transfer. "That was outside of my control. That was a decision the boy made so I will judge him on how he is playing. "If you look at Ronan he had a really good start to the season. He had a difficult period around Christmas and went out of Ross County's team so he didn't play a lot of football between maybe January and March and then he came back into their team and has done well. Maybe he needed that little bit of recovery. "Probably when he came into us in March he wasn't really in his best form at that point in time. "He has addressed that and has been a big player for Ross County - 16 goals in all competitions in his first season is a good return. "We have purposely picked fewer forwards to give them the opportunity to give them minutes. "I decided we didn't need to see Jamie Reid in this situation, Josh (Magennis) is injured so hopefully we can get Ronan on the pitch."
