Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Belfast Live
Belfast Live
Sport
Gareth Fullerton

Michael O'Neill sends out resounding message to fans after Northern Ireland return

Michael O'Neill aims to bring the good times back to Northern Ireland - and the Green and White Army.

O'Neill is back for a second spell as international manager after his appointment was confirmed on Wednesday on a mammoth five-and-a-half-year contract.

The 53-year-old led Northern Ireland to the 2016 Euro finals during his hugely successful first spell as international boss from December 2011 to April 2020.

Read more: Michael O'Neill confirmed as new Northern Ireland boss on bumper long-term deal

He also narrowly missed out on qualification for the 2018 World Cup, losing to Switzerland in a contentious play-off defeat.

O'Neill departed for Stoke City over two years ago, with his successor Ian Baraclough enduring a miserable 28 months in the job, winning only six of his 28 games in charge inside 90 minutes.

Since Baraclough's sacking in October, fans have been calling on the Irish FA to bring back O'Neill, who has been out of football since being sacked by Stoke in August.

Speaking at Wednesday's press conference at Windsor Park, O'Neill delivered a positive message to supporters.

He said: "The message to the fans is I want to recreate the good times.

“When this place is full and jumping, I know how positive it can be for the players.

“During the Covid situation the fans maybe lost touch with the team a bit when results weren't going well. If we're going to be successful, we need total commitment from myself, the players, the Association but most importantly the fans.

“For our games in Belfast, when we take on the bigger nations on freezing nights, they're the ones driving us on."

O'Neill's first task will be the Euro 2024 qualifiers which kick-off in March.

Northern Ireland have been handed a group including Denmark, Finland, Slovenia, Kazakhstan and San Marino.

O'Neill said: "A lot of comments I've seen is it's favourable to Northern Ireland. The last group we were in with Germany and Holland is never easy. But all the teams will see it as an opportunity, which will make it extremely competitive.

"It will be interesting with Denmark, who didn't have the World Cup they wanted, and that shows how competitive it is that they reached the semi-finals of the Euros but struggled this year.

"There is an opportunity there if we have good home performances and results and be difficult to be away from home. That approach will be essential."

Asked if he can replicate the success he brought to Northern Ireland during his first spell, O'Neill said: "I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe it was possible.

"Of course there's an apprehension about it but that's important. When you go through campaigns you know what's required for qualification. We were second in the World Cup group in 2018, we had a tough group in 2020.

"I know what's required and the togetherness with the players will give us a chance. You need your big players available for the majority of the campaign and we need to hit the ground running immediately.

"The senior players know the disappointment of missing out in 2018 and they see this as a big opportunity. Hopefully that'll give us the right reaction and galvanise the players."

READ NEXT:

Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.