Age 12: Comes to the attention of Arsenal while playing for Tolka Rovers. Subsequently goes through a long spell travelling to London each weekend to train with the youths at Highbury.

Early-teens: Grows eight inches in space of 14 months and is regularly too tired to play more than 20 minutes in games for new club Home Farm.

Mid-teens: Takes a full year off in hope of recovering speed and strength.

Age 17: After completing Leaving Certificate, he opts to join Norwich City rather than Arsenal on the basis that the Highbury club want him to prove his fitness before confirming his contract.

Age 18: Turns professional and during the 1994/95 campaign makes his first team debut in the Premiership game against Southampton. The following week he breaks his ankle in a reserve game against Crystal Palace. Misses the rest of the season.

Age 19-20: Injuries limit the number of appearances he makes for the first team, but O'Neill is an automatic choice when fit, clocking up seven goals in 45 games over two seasons.

Age 20: Makes senior debut for Ireland in the May '96 friendly with Portugal at Lansdowne Road. Travels to America with Mick McCarthy's squad the following month and scores on his competitive debut in Liechtenstein that Autumn.

Age 21: Starts just six games in '97-'98 season due to a series of injuries.

Age 22: Has great pre-season with Norwich and starts season in first team. Returns to the international scene after being unavailable for 11 matches and starts the game against Croatia but only lasts five minutes, a shin injury (above right) forcing him to come off.