EURO 2016: Michael O'Neill welcomes March friendly with Wales

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill believes a friendly against Wales in Cardiff is a sensible option in March given the busy time of the season.

By The Newsroom

Published 12th Jan 2016, 15:56 BST

Updated 12th Jan 2016, 15:58 BST

Wales have lined up a friendly against Northern Ireland on March 24, although the Football Association of Wales has yet to confirm the fixture.

Northern Ireland – who are in the same Euro 2016 group as Germany, Poland and Ukraine at Euro 2016 – follow up the Wales game by welcoming Slovenia to Belfast’s Windsor Park on March 28.

“March is always difficult,” O’Neill told Sky Sports.

“It’s difficult for the club managers because they are either going for honours or in our case maybe teams are trying to get in the play-offs or are fighting for their lives in the Premier League.

“I wanted to limit the travel. For the players, Wales is a really easy game for us. We don’t have to travel away and bring players back.”