Report: Concerns raised about Blackburn boss Michael O'Neill amid Championship relegation battle with Portsmouth, Oxford United and West Brom
Michael O’Neill took charge of Blackburn Rovers in February - despite remaining as Northern Ireland manager
‘One or more clubs’ in the Championship have made contact with the Football League in regards to Michael O’Neill’s dual managerial roles at Blackburn Rovers and the Northern Ireland national team.
That’s according to the BBC Oxford, who claim issues relating to a conflict of interest have been raised during the current international break and ahead of this weekend’s return to domestic action.
The BBC states that Championship struggles Oxford United are among those clubs uneasy with O’Neill’s curent positions, although it reports that the U’s have declined to comment on the matter.
Their discomfort relates to four members of Matt Bloomfield’s squad potentially featuring for Northern Ireland in their international friendly against Wales in Cardiff tonight - just three days before they take on Hull in a crucial league game at the Kassam Stadium.
It is not known at this moment in time who the other club(s) could be. However, Pompey’s Terry Devlin remains with his Northern Ireland colleagues and will likely feature against the Welsh, having started his country’s World Cup play-off semi-final defeat at the hands of Italy last week.
Since that loss in Bergamo, a defeat that ended Northern Ireland’s World Cup Finals hopes, O’Neill has allowed four players to return to their clubs. Among those is key Norwich City defender Ruairi McConville, who also started against Italy last Thursday and who could play for the injury-hit Canaries when Pompey travel to Carrow Road on Good Friday.
No explanation was provided for his permission to link up again with Norwich.
Only one Blackburn Rovers player is currently in the Northern Ireland squad, Tom Atcheson.
Rovers currently sit 19th and four points above the relegation zone (43) as they prepare to travel to Birmingham on Friday.
Pompey sit one point above the drop zone in 22nd (40), while Oxford (39) occupy 23rd position, below third from bottom Leicester on goal difference.
West Brom, who are sandwiched between Blackburn and Pompey in the standings, currently have Isaac Price with the Northern Ireland squad ahead for their upcoming fixture against Wrexham.
According to BBC Oxford, the EFL said international call-ups and players being released from their duties ‘was not an issue that would be dealt with by them’. That is governed by FIFA.