O’Neill and FAI must now clear the air

Pundits, journalists, supporters, and former players and managers: Plenty of people have had plenty to say about Martin O’Neill over the last few days, very little of it favourable.

Even when Jon Walters bucked the trend by going on the BBC to praise O’Neill, not to bury him, he still found himself winding up in the bizarre position of pointing to his international manager’s achievements with Ireland as a job recommendation for the then vacant post at Stoke City.

That’s Paul Lambert’s now — good luck to him with that — and, though the tortuous events of the past week make one nervous of stating anything at all with absolute certainty, Martin O’Neill is remaining as the Republic of Ireland boss.