Tom Cleverley backs O'Neill staying with Northern Ireland over Blackburn
Tom Cleverley is now part of a story shaped by Michael O'Neill’s choice to stay with Northern Ireland instead of taking a longer-term Blackburn Rovers contract. The 56-year-old has kept his place in international football after weighing a move back into club management.
That call keeps Northern Ireland under the coach who started his second spell in December 2022 and who guided the side to Euro 2016. It also leaves Blackburn without the man who steered them to safety from relegation during his interim spell.
Michael O'Neill and Blackburn
Blackburn wanted to keep him after that rescue job, but O'Neill decided his immediate future lies in the international arena rather than club football. The decision gives Northern Ireland a manager with recent club success and a clearer runway before summer internationals and the Nations League later in the year.
Stephen Craigan said there is no doubt O'Neill will have turned heads by making such an impact in what almost looked like a lost cause. Craigan also said that unless the IFA extend his contract, there is clearly the potential of another club coming in.
Stephen Craigan on Northern Ireland
Craigan's view was simple: the progress of the young group over the past two or three years has been a joy to watch. He said he is delighted O'Neill is staying, and that any future contract arrangement would probably have to be more stringent as regards club football, with no more loans involved in helping clubs out.
That leaves Northern Ireland with continuity at a useful point. The squad has further opportunity to keep shaping a promising young group, with good internationals scheduled for the summer and the Nations League due to start in September and October.
Euro 2016 and Euro 2028
O'Neill's value to Northern Ireland is tied to more than one spell in charge. He previously guided the team to the Euro 2016 finals in France, and the next European Championship cycle brings another layer of relevance with Euro 2028 set to be held across Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
For Northern Ireland, the practical effect is clear: the manager who helped steady the team in his second spell remains in place for the next stretch of internationals, while Blackburn must look elsewhere after missing out on a longer-term agreement.
