Rangers midfielder Steven Davis has hailed departed Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill for having a huge influence on his international career.
O’Neill, who also took on the dugout job at Stoke City last November, left his role as boss of the national team on Wednesday after the coronavirus pandemic led to the postponement of March’s Euro play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Under former Hibs and Dundee United playmaker O’Neill’s hugely successful eight-year reign, the country qualified for Euro 2016 in France - where they went on to reach the last-16.
And 117-times capped Davis insists the 50-year-old was instrumental to Northern Ireland's renaissance on the international stage.
Davis said: “He is a huge loss for us all and a huge loss for the country, he has an incredible record and brought us a lot of success over the past eight years.
“The longer it went on with the play offs being delayed then I think it was inevitable that this was possibly going to happen. Although we’re gutted we understood this situation would probably arise.
“I think he’s got to be up there with the best managers we’ve had.
“For me personally I can’t speak highly enough of him for what he’s done for me and my international career and the whole country.
“To get that self-belief in the team to begin with, to finding a way to getting results on a consistent basis and then to go and play at a major tournament; almost backing it up by getting to a World Cup - getting beat int he play-offs - getting ourselves into a position to quality for the Euros again, it’s been a great six, seven years as a group together.
“Hopefully we can build on that. It’s an opportunity for someone to come now and show what they can do.”
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