The English Football League (EFL) has been contacted by at least one club over a possible conflict of interest involving Northern Ireland and Blackburn Rovers boss Michael O’Neill.
O’Neill, 56, was hired as Blackburn head coach on a short-term contract in February, until the end of the season. He has continued his role as Northern Ireland manager alongside his job at the Championship club.
Blackburn are mired in a relegation fight in the Championship. A number of players in O’Neill’s Northern Ireland squad play for teams battling with Blackburn to remain in the second tier.
That includes four players at Oxford United, who are 23rd in the league. There is also one at Portsmouth and one at West Bromwich Albion. Blackburn’s Tom Atcheson is also in the squad.
Northern Ireland play Wales on Tuesday in an international challenge match after both sides lost their World Cup semi-final playoff games on Thursday, to Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina respectively.
On Sunday, O’Neill confirmed four players had returned to their parent clubs and would not be involved on Tuesday. That included Norwich City’s Ruairi McConville, Paddy McNair of Hull City and Ali McCann, who plays for Preston North End. Those three teams will face sides — Portsmouth, Oxford and Leicester City — who are all involved in the relegation battle on Friday.
The EFL confirmed to The Athletic it had been contacted by at least one club regarding the matter.
Sources briefed on the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, indicated to The Athletic that one of those clubs is Oxford United. Their quartet of Jamie McDonnell, Ciaron Brown, Jamie Donley and Brodie Spencer are all in the squad for Tuesday’s game.
The EFL said it was not a matter that rested with the organisation but that international call-up and release policy was overseen by FIFA and the relevant national association.
It added it expected all selection decisions to be made in a way that did not bring the game into disrepute.
Blackburn Rovers and the Irish Football Association (FA) declined to comment when contacted by The Athletic.
