Iain Dowie: 'Michael O'Neill may quit Northern Ireland if World Cup not reached'

Dowie: 'O'Neill may quit Northern Ireland'
© Getty Images
Michael O'Neill may decide that the time is right to move on from Northern Ireland if they fail to qualify for the World Cup, according to Iain Dowie.

Iain Dowie has suggested that Michael O'Neill may decide that the time is right to move on from Northern Ireland if they fail to qualify for the World Cup.

NI were controversially beaten 1-0 by Switzerland at Windsor Park in the first leg of their World Cup playoff, and head to Basel to try to overturn the deficit in the second leg on Sunday.

However, if O'Neill fails to lead his nation to their first World Cup since 1986, Dowie feels that the former Shamrock Rovers manager would not be short of offers to go elsewhere.

"No-one's 'unsackable', but if anyone can be, Michael is," Dowie told Sky Sports News.

"On the other hand, I do think there are other opportunities. He will think 'who we've got coming through, and can this group of players replicate that again?'

"Maybe Chris Brunt retires, maybe Gareth McAuley retires. Maybe Steven Davis isn't playing as much. But he may think it's time to move on. I think there'll be a big job coming round the corner."

O'Neill has been in charge of his country since 2011 and led them to the last 16 of Euro 2016.

Gareth McAuley of West Bromwich Albion during the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion at Britannia Stadium on August 29, 2015 in Stoke on Trent, England.
Read Next:
McAuley hints at international retirement
>
You May Like
Recomended from Sports Mole



Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City1110103873131
2Manchester UnitedMan Utd117222351823
3Tottenham HotspurSpurs117222071323
4Chelsea117131910922
5Liverpool115422117419
6Arsenal116142016419
7Burnley11542109119
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton114341111015
9Watford114341721-415
10Huddersfield TownHuddersfield11434813-515
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle114251010014
12Leicester CityLeicester113441616013
13Southampton11344911-213
14Stoke CityStoke113351322-912
15Everton113261022-1211
16West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom11245914-510
17Bournemouth11317714-710
18West Ham UnitedWest Ham112361123-129
19Swansea CitySwansea11227713-68
20Crystal Palace11119422-184