Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill has confirmed that his new two year deal with the association has been signed with the 64-year-old also revealing that Roy Keane and the rest of his management team have also signed new contracts that keep them in place until the end of the current World Cup campaign.
“We’d agreed a deal back before the issues and I never saw it as an issue,” he said at a press conference this morning to announce his preliminary squad for the qualifying games against Georgia and Moldova. “It’s not the first time that I would have agreed something but then not signed it for some time but it’s signed and done now and Roy and the backroom staff have followed suit and we’re really delighted.”
O’Neill said that he was anxious to go on now and lead the team to a second successive major championship and believes, he made clear, that he and his assistant are best placed to deliver another qualification.
Asked if had been concerned that the “perception” might have been that he had been “hedging his bets”, he said: “I’m not concerned about perception. I’m too experienced to worry about what the perception is. Hedging bets over what? I’ll tell you something now. I’ve signed the contract, delighted to have shaken hands with some months ago. Who knows what happens in life.
“But my own personal view, and I’ve proved it I think, is that Ireland’s best chance of qualification for the World Cup in Russia lies with myself and Roy Keane. I want to be around, I want to do it, want to try and qualify. And it’s a long process again. It was the same when we started off in Georgia a couple of years ago. But the best chance is with myself and Roy at the helm.”
For these games he has handed first call- ups to Falkirk goalkeeper Danny Rogers and Barnsley midfielder Conor Hourihane while Jonny Hayes (injury) and Shane Duggan (suspension) return to the group and Kevin Doyle is recalled along with Birmingham City midfielder Stephen Gleeson. O’Neill suggested that all had done well enough to merit inclusion but pointed out that the group would be trimmed over the next week or so and gave no indication as to who might be make the cut.
Everton midfielder James McCarthy is also included despite his club manager Ronald Koeman suggested earlier this week that the player’s recovery from a groin operation had been a little slower than expected. O’Neill said that the FAI’s medical staff had been given the impression that McCarthy might well be back in full training next week but, he said, “we’ll see what the middle of next week brings.”
Gary Rogers of Dundalk is omitted while O’Neill said that Daryl Horgan would have been in at least the preliminary squad had these games come at another time.
“He (Horgan) has done exceptionally well and in normal circumstances, and these are definitely not ordinary circumstances, he certainly would have made the preliminary squad.
“(For the moment) I’d rather just keep in touch with Stephen (Kenny). Peter Sherrard (the FAI’s operations director) sent me the fixture list for Dundalk. It’s glorious in the sense of their involvement in European football, but it has entangled things. I’ve got the utmost regard for Dundalk and their manager who has done brilliantly. I think if any of their players get into the squad, I think it’s probably a major plus for the club itself (but) Dundalk are heavily involved until Christmas time.”
Ireland play Georgia at home on September 6th and Moldova in Chisinau three days later.
Squad: Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday), Danny Rogers (Falkirk*); Seamus Coleman (Everton), Cyrus Christie, Richard Keogh, Alex Pearce (Derby County) Paul McShane (Reading), John O'Shea (Sunderland), Shane Duffy (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Marc Wilson (Bournemouth), Stephen Ward (Burnley); Aiden McGeady (Preston North End*), James McClean (West Bromwich Albion), Glenn Whelan (Stoke City), James McCarthy (Everton), Jeff Hendrick (Burnley), Stephen Quinn (Reading), David Meyler (Hull City), Conor Hourihane (Barnsley), Harry Arter (Bournemouth), Eunan O'Kane (Leeds United), Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham City), Callum O'Dowda (Bristol City), Robbie Brady, Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City), Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City), Jonathan Hayes (Aberdeen); Shane Long (Southampton), Daryl Murphy (Newcastle United), Jonathan Walters (Stoke City), Kevin Doyle (Colorado Rapids).
*Indicates player is currently on loan
