“THE CONTRACTS ARE there to be signed at this stage, it’s only a matter of Martin and myself meeting up to sign them together.”
Those were the words of FAI CEO John Delaney at the National Sports Campus amid Sport Ireland’s announcement of €7.4 million investment in Youth Field Sports on 13 July.
Delaney had suggested that the deal was all but done, and it was simply a matter of himself and O’Neill being in the same place at the same time for it to be pushed through.
However, two months on, and somewhat strangely, there is still no confirmation of O’Neill or any of the management staff signing a new contract.
The Irish manager has been asked regularly at press conferences since about the proposed new deal.
His response has been a mixture of exasperation at the continued questions and light humour in an attempt to downplay the perceived seriousness of the situation.
“We’re there. It’s about to be signed… In the next year and a half,” O’Neill joked last week.
After the Oman match, he sought to reassure journalists that he was “still getting paid”.
In Serbia, he dismissed any suggestions that he would be interested in the vacant Hull job, amid rumours that the Premier League club are eyeing up O’Neill as this uncertainty continues.
It is a bizarre situation that has been an ongoing issue (or non-issue, as some might claim) since last June.
Prior to Ireland’s Euro 2016 campaign, the FAI released a statement indicating O’Neill had signed a new deal.
I am delighted that John Delaney and the FAI Board have extended our contracts for the World Cup campaign,” O’Neill was quoted as saying at the time.
“It has been an absolute privilege to have been in charge of the Republic of Ireland national team, these last 30 months, and we go to France tomorrow in good spirits, with a strong desire to do well in the next few weeks.”
A few days later, it was revealed that O’Neill had not actually penned a new deal. The 64-year-old coach insisted he was “relaxed” about the situation, however, and added: “We have shaken hands and that’s good enough. I think John wanted to do that (announcing just ahead of departure to France) and I’m pleased to follow suit.
“It is very important for continuity and gives us a little bit of stability going into the competition.”
A month later, in the aforementioned interview at the National Sports Campus, Delaney was equally keen to play down concerns that all was not well within the set-up.
“There are no issues about (the contract),” he said. “Before the Euros we announced, with Martin, that the management team’s contracts would be renewed and that they would be staying with us through the World Cup qualifiers.
“I spoke to Martin last week, the contracts are there to be signed and it’s only a matter of myself and Martin meeting up to sign. I would say in the next week or so (a deal will be done), the next time I meet him, but everything is agreed.”
Yet since then, the silence on the issue has grown more conspicuous by the day.
Finally, last weekend, Roy Keane, in an interview with Sunday newspaper journalists, hinted what many had suspected for quite some time — there was some sort of a stumbling block in the talks.
The assistant boss refused to elaborate, but it seems fair to assume there is more to the issue than meets the eye.
It’s not something that the Irish players are likely to be affected by or particularly interested in, but it’s a curious saga nonetheless.
The verbal agreement that O’Neill and co keep citing remains key to many people’s assumption that the deal will be done eventually, though talk of Hull’s interest has added further complexity and confusion to the situation.
If O’Neill did unexpectedly resign, it would not be the first time he’s departed a team in shock circumstances.
The Derry native left Aston Villa just prior to the start of the 2010-11 Premier League season after a disagreement with the owner Randy Lerner, and the club have arguably never recovered since.
I’m shocked like everyone else even though I’ve been aware that behind the scenes that there has been a lack of togetherness,” ex-Villa boss Graham Taylor said at the time.
So is there any chance of history repeating itself with the Ireland job, in which billionaire businessman Denis O’Brien is known to pay a substantial portion of O’Neill’s salary?
Speaking at that same Sport Ireland event, back in July, Delaney emphasised O’Brien’s importance as part of the deal and dismissed any suggestions that he might have reservations about continuing to help fund the management team for the coming campaign.
“Denis’ contribution is invaluable to the re-appointment of Martin O’Neill and the management team, and without his contribution, it just wouldn’t be possible, and the association has been more than grateful to Denis.
“I wouldn’t comment on individual discussions with Denis, but Denis has always been a great supporter of Irish football. Not only in the international team appointment, he was always very helpful in achieving (the FAI’s) new finance reduction of €10 million. His company Island Capital were central to the discussions with our new finance partner.”
O’Neill’s public comments continue to suggest there is nothing awry, but how he feels privately about this prolonged and presumably frustrating saga is surely another matter.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
