Pool eye O’Neill as Hoops dream over

REPORTS in the north of England are already linking Michael O’Neill with the manager’s post at League One side Hartlepool United even though there has, as yet, been no official confirmation that he is about to end his three-year reign in charge of Shamrock Rovers.

But with club captain Dan Murray revealing O’Neill has already told the players he is departing, it’s now the worst kept secret in Irish football that Thursday night’s Europa League game against Spurs at Tallaght Stadium will be the manager’s last with the Hoops.

The club have so far refrained from confirming his departure, having made a policy decision to try to maintain focus on Wednesday’s game. However, that’s unlikely to last beyond tomorrow afternoon, when O’Neill himself will face the media for what will be his last pre-match press conference in Tallaght.

The 42-year-old is also due to be interviewed for the vacant job of Northern Ireland manager but has clearly decided not to wait on the outcome of that process before bringing his time at Rovers to an end.

According to what O’Neill told Dan Murray, talks with the club’s board on a new contract have irretrievably broken down, and the manager is now looking for a fresh challenge, having steered Rovers to back-to-back league titles and into the group stage of the Europa League during a memorable spell at the helm.

“He said he was telling us so we could focus on Thursday’s game and make sure we do ourselves justice,” said Murray.

“I was pretty surprised because we’ve had a pretty good year but it’s one of those things.

“It will be sad to see him go because he brought me from Cork and made me captain. We’ve done well in the league and had some enjoyable nights in Europe.”

Sligo Rovers manager Paul Cook is early favourite to replace O’Neill while UCD boss Martin Russell is another linked with the job.

Thursday’s game against Spurs will be Rovers’ last of a long season — and the end of an era, as O’Neill bows out.