No approach from Toffees as Martin O’Neill focused on Ireland

Despite continuing speculation linking him to the now vacant managerial post at Everton, Martin O’Neill says that he has had no approaches to return to club football and once again stressed that his sole focus at the moment is on steering Ireland through the European Championship finals in France.

However, when asked if this meant he would not even be prepared to discuss job offers between now the tournament, he declined to give a definitive response.

“Well, I don’t know, first of all they have to come up,” he said.

“And it is really hypothetical so there is little point in me turning around and saying something. I’m sure, somewhere along the way, somebody might be short of a manager and may well ask, and I’ll see when that develops. So far, it hasn’t done.

“Here, in terms of this particular job and wanting to do it and wanting to do it to the best of my ability, I don’t think that has changed one jot since the game against Latvia two-and-a-half years ago.”

Having recently indicated that the reluctance was on his part to commit to a new contract ahead of the Euros, O’Neill yesterday touched briefly on his relationship with FAI chief executive John Delaney.

“Believe it or not, John and I professionally get on fairly well,” he said. “And we don’t do that badly either in a social sense.

“We’re totally different characters but we don’t do too badly. He’s in Mexico at this moment (at a FIFA conference).

“I’m not so sure he’ll be enjoying that out there. I’ll wait and see but we have actually got on pretty well. I’m still contracted here. I want to see it through to its end but let us see.”

Pressed on a possible return to Celtic Park for his assistant Roy Keane, O’Neill again indicated that no offer had been made but conceded that the Corkman would be well suited to the manager’s job there.

“Would he be capable of doing that? Absolutely. But as Roy said, you still have to be asked and so far, I’m not so sure that that’s been the case.

“But I don’t think that he would give things up here lightly.

“Something would have to, as he often says — his favourite phrase — rock his boat. He has enjoyed it here. I think it has been good for him, but is he ready to go? Yes, he could very well be.”

Asked how he might cope in his sidekick’s absence, O’Neill quipped: “Well, up until a couple of years ago, Roy Keane wasn’t really in my life and I survived.”

Marc Wilson, who recently suffered an injury setback, remains O’Neill’s biggest fitness concern ahead of the Euros but more will be known about his situation after he sees a specialist today.

Meantime, the Stoke man has been named in the provisional 35-man squad for the friendly against the Netherlands, which also sees a return for Ipswich striker David McGoldrick and a first call-up for 21-year-old Oxford United winger Callum O’Dowda.