Ian Baraclough: Gareth McAuley says NI players 'feel comfortable' with new manager

Gareth McAuley believes the appointment of Ian Baraclough as new Northern Ireland manager "makes sense" as he is popular with the players.

The 49-year-old has been promoted from his role as NI Under-21 boss to replace Michael O'Neill, who left for Stoke City in April.

Baraclough has had involvement with the senior international squad and McAuley thinks that is vital.

"The players feel comfortable with Ian," said the former NI defender.

"Those that I have spoken to in the last few hours have all welcome the appointment. It has been a long time since they have had international football and they are looking forward to getting together.

"With a lot of the foundations that Michael had put in, it made sense to keep going with those steps and put in a coach who had been around that and had a feel for it.

"The Irish FA could have looked to bring in a 'big-name' coach from England who has been on the job merry-go-round but for me that would never have worked.

"Stamping a big personality on the dressing-room is not what Northern Ireland is about. In my opinion, they have gone about it in the right way - they've ticked the right boxes to get the right man."

'He has had a head-start'

McAuley's career included spells at West Brom and Rangers

McAuley, who retired from football in September after winning 80 caps for Northern Ireland, believes the work Baraclough has done to help prepare for the upcoming Euro 2020 play-off semi-final away to Bosnia-Herzegovina has been particularly important.

He also said that the NI players have always enjoyed the former Motherwell and Sligo Rovers manager's coaching sessions when he has been working with the senior squad.

"He kind of took a little bit of control when Michael first went to Stoke [in November] in terms of communication with the senior players and was involved with the logistics for the Bosnia game," McAuley continued.

"So he has got a bit of a head-start in terms of preparations for that game. The players already have relationships with Ian so not an awful lot will change in the short-term.

"I've been in squads when Ian has taken sessions and the response was positive. He is a good person, a gentleman as well and the players will have bought into that."

A 'brave' man to follow O'Neill

O'Neill led Northern Ireland to the Euro 2016 finals in France

Baraclough's appointment as NI manager was announced by the Irish FA on Saturday, with the former Queens Park Rangers defender coming out on top in a selection process that included former NI internationals Stephen Robinson, Tommy Wright and Jim Magilton, as well as current NI women's boss Kenny Shiels.

He has signed an 18-month contract which will run until the end of the 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign, and will have Nations League matches against Romania and Norway in September before the play-off trip to Bosnia.

Victory in Bosnia would mean a play-off final against either the Republic of Ireland or Slovakia, and McAuley believes his appointment was made with a major focus on reaching next summer's Euro finals.

"I think the IFA have put the man in place that they think will lead the country to the Euros, and if he does that I think his deal will be extended," the former West Brom and Rangers man added.

"He is a brave man, as anyone who followed Michael was going to have a tough job. The Bosnia game is massive but if he wins that then he will instantly be a hero.

"And, knowing him and having spent time with him, that would be amazing to see."