IFA - We are all behind McIlroy

Irish Football Association president Jim Boyce has re-iterated his full support for Sammy McIlroy.

McIlroy saw his Northern Ireland side finish bottom of the Euro 2004 qualifying campaign without scoring a goal, shortly after signing a two-year extension to his contract.

Boyce, though, remains convinced the former Macclesfield boss is the man to turn their fortunes around.

“I honestly feel no manager could do better with the players available to him,” Boyce told the Belfast Telegraph.

“There is no question about the manager’s position. He has been given a two-year extension and nobody in the IFA has questioned or queried that at all.

“The fans, who have been magnificent, are behind him and so are the players.

“I will admit that in the past players have lost confidence with previous managers, but this has not been the case with Sammy.

“In fact the players are devastated for Sammy at how this campaign has gone.

“Having spoken to them, one of their big motivating factors for the World Cup qualifiers is to put it right for him.

“The campaign has been been a disaster because we have finished bottom and not scored a goal, but defensively we look solid which is a major plus.”