Hoops wait as O’Neill heads for Belfast

WHILE Shamrock Rovers boss Michael O’Neill is set to be named the new manager of Northern Ireland, the post he occupied for the last three years continues to remain vacant at Tallaght amid late complications in the Hoops’ bid to land Stephen Kenny as his successor.

After overseeing his last game in charge of Rovers — the 4-0 Europa League defeat to Spurs — O’Neill was the final candidate to be interviewed by the IFA in Belfast last week and has now emerged as the association’s preferred choice ahead of his two main rivals for the job, fellow former Northern Ireland internationals Iain Dowie and Jim Magilton. It remains to be seen if Magilton — who joined O’Neill in the dugout at Tallaght in his final season there — will now end up renewing his association with O’Neill in an international capacity.

O’Neill, who was capped 33 times for the North, enjoyed a long playing career after starting out with Irish League side Coleraine, including spells at Newcastle United, Hibs and Dundee United.