Updated at 22.00
MARTIN O’NEILL HAS turned down Stoke City’s offer to be appointed as their new manager, according to reports.
The Telegraph are reporting that the current Republic of Ireland boss was involved in negotiations throughout the weekend, but has refused the offer.
English journalist Luke Edwards writes:
“Stoke have worked tirelessly over the past 72 hours to try persuade the 65-year-old to end his four-year reign as the Republic of Ireland manager and appeared to have got chairman Peter Coates’ first-choice target.”
But the Derryman has reportedly committed his future to the Ireland senior side.
Despite verbally agreeing a new contract with the FAI, there has still been no official confirmation that O’Neill has lengthened his stay with the Boys in Green for the forthcoming Euro 2020 campaign.
The news of O’Neill turning down the position with the Premier League club comes as the latest twist in the saga after the heavily-linked Quique Sanchez Flores committed his future to Espanyol yesterday, leaving the Ireland boss as the clear favourite.
I'd say I was surprised but O'Neill had made up his mind he was staying with Ireland late last week and although he has spoken to Stoke, he is genuinely excited about building a new younger Irish team over the next 12 months https://t.co/uTZYbDRP1D
— Luke Edwards (@LukeEdwardsTele) January 14, 2018
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