Northern Ireland: Jimmy Nicholl to stay on as assistant manager
- Published
Nicholl has been part of Northern Ireland's coaching staff since 2015
Jimmy Nicholl will remain Northern Ireland's assistant manager having been asked to continue in the role by new boss Ian Baraclough.
Former under-21s boss Baraclough was confirmed as Michael O'Neill's successor on Saturday, and wasted little time in reaching out to the former NI defender.
Nicholl spoke to the new boss on Saturday having been relieved of his duties as Dundee assistant manager, with the Scottish side citing "unsustainable stress on finances".
"The phone goes last night at half past eight, I saw his (Baraclough's) name coming up on my phone and I thought 'Oh no here we go, double whammy here!'," Nicholl told BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound.
"He said 'I just phoned to say I'd like to keep you on as (part of) the staff in the set-up'.
"He was saying things that give you a wee lift, so I'm delighted with that."
Baraclough is a familiar face within the Northern Ireland set-up having managed the under-21s
Baraclough was the early front-runner to replace O'Neill having delivered some impressive results in charge of the under-21s.
Nicholl, who won 73 caps for Northern Ireland and played at two World Cups, says the appointment will ensure some positive continuity within the set-up as they seek to qualify for the rescheduled European championships.
"Michael brought him in (to the senior squad) a couple of times, he brought the under-21s to train with us during the day and then we had a meal at night," Nicholl said.
"It was brilliant, he is familiar to the senior players and I think he's experienced enough to know just to let them get on with it and don't change too much."
Northern Ireland will meet Bosnia-Herzegovina in their Euro 2020 play-off semi-final on 8 October, with the winner going on to face either the Republic of Ireland or Slovakia in Belfast on 12 November.