Michael O’Neill can cope with a dual role for now
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Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill has recently joined Championship strugglers Stoke City. He will oversee the Northern Ireland last Euro 2020 qualifier against Germany on Tuesday night and also their play-off games.
Some have criticised the decision to keep the 50-year-old in charge of the national side with his attention now elsewhere. However, O’Neill deserves the chance to guide his team to another major tournament.
He has done an absolutely fantastic job with the Northern Ireland team draining every last bit of talent out of a squad that is certainly not top-level. His coaching skills have already guided Northern Ireland to Euro 2016 and then out of their group.
It has been O’Neill’s managerial acumen that has turned Northern Ireland into real contenders for qualification for big tournaments. Even in their current campaign, they have acquitted themselves well, despite being handed the mammoth task of facing European superpowers Germany and the Netherlands in the group stages of qualifying for Euro 2020.
They head into that aforementioned last group game against Germany having put in a valiant effort. They still have the back up of March’s play-offs.
O’Neill will need all his immense coaching ability in his new job at Stoke. The Potters are currently second from bottom in the Championship table. However, O’Neill recorded a 4-2 win at Barnsley in his opening match.
A good run of form could easily see the team from the north west of England move out of the relegation zone. With O’Neill at the helm that is not an unlikely outcome.
In many ways, the move is more of a risk for O’Neill than Stoke. The Potters have been through a number of bosses since relegation from the Premier League and squad is not great, even by Championship standards.
For now, O’Neill is juggling his dual roles as Stoke and Northern Ireland boss. However, he has plenty of managerial ability and it will only be for a short period. It is unlikely to be a major problem.
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