Coronavirus could end O'Neill's tenure as Northern Ireland boss

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Michael O'NeillImage source, Inpho
Image caption,

Northern Ireland are set to play Bosnia-Herzegovina on 26 March in their Euro 2020 play-off semi-final

Michael O'Neill's eight-year stint as Northern Ireland manager could come to an early end due to coronavirus.

Uefa will decide on Tuesday if Northern Ireland's Euro 2020 play-off in Bosnia-Herzegovina will be postponed.

O'Neill was named Stoke City boss in November but was to remain in charge of NI for the play-offs later this month.

"It wouldn't be doable if you were doing it September, October and November, that wouldn't be an option," said O'Neill on his dual role.

"November to March is the quietest part of an international manager's calendar and that has coincided with the period I've been in charge here."

The global coronavirus outbreak may well now have a say on when and how O'Neill's Northern Ireland reign comes to an end.

Northern Ireland are scheduled to play in Bosnia on 26 March, with the winners due to take on either Slovakia or the Republic of Ireland five days later for a place in the finals.

As well as any potential delays to the play-offs, Uefa is to decide the fate of the Euro 2020 finals on Tuesday.

If the play-offs and finals are postponed, O'Neill's final games in charge of NI could have been November's goalless draw with the Netherlands at Windsor Park and a 6-1 defeat in Germany.

Image source, Inpho
Image caption,

O'Neill says he will always remember Northern Ireland's experience at Euro 2016

"I didn't want a fanfare or a lot of honours," O'Neill said. "What I can look back on is eight years of a lot of hard work.

"We had a very difficult time at the start to try and turn things around, it was a slow-burner, it was never going to happen overnight.

"I'll take away the memories of France 2016 and the qualification.

"For a lot of people France was their first opportunity to see Northern Ireland in a major tournament and we've got the chance to do that again."