It's something you normally only see in video games, but Michael O'Neill will manage both club and country for the rest of the season. The news that O'Neill would join Blackburn Rovers on a short-term deal until the end of the campaign comes just six weeks before Northern Ireland's World Cup play-off semi-final with Italy. Northern Ireland have not featured at a World Cup in 40 years and are underdogs to beat both the Italians, and then either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina, to reach the finals. At his new role with Blackburn Rovers, his job is to guide the club out of the relegation places in the Championship with 15 games left. There's a lot on the line for O'Neill with club and country, so how will he juggle both jobs?

Source: BBC February 13, 2026 22:21 UTC