Michael O'Neill explains why Northern Ireland fans 'shouldn't be' upset with Blackburn Rovers job share

O’Neill has signed a short-term contract until the end of this season to take charge of Blackburn’s final 15 Championship matches as he looks to steer the Ewood Park club clear of relegation threat.

The 56-year-old is also remaining in his position as Northern Ireland chief and will lead the nation into a crunch showdown against the Italians on March 26.

Many Northern Ireland fans have voiced their concerns that O’Neill’s immediate focus being on Blackburn duties will hamper chances of progress next month, but the former Stoke City chief doesn’t see any negatives to the situation.

"Look, if I felt for one minute that it would distract, I wouldn't have taken the opportunity,” he said. “I wouldn't have done that to Blackburn either.

"The reality of the situation is we've done a lot of work on Italy, the manager there has had six games in charge, we've watched them as much as we can watch them, I don't think we'll see any surprises.

"I've already been to Bergamo between Christmas and New Year, I've watched a live game in the stadium, all the preparation is in place for a training base, so really between now and the game in March, I would just be watching games and players.

"For me, the benefit of being on the grass will sharpen me coming into the games in March, I think it's beneficial and I don't see really any downside to it.

"I understand the supporters kind of think maybe it is a negative, I genuinely don't see it like that at all, and I think also that possibly from the outside, they don't really understand what an international manager's job is like on a day-to-day basis.

"I think it's important to understand that this won't compromise the preparation for March and it's important that Blackburn feel that obviously my attention is properly on the job at hand here as well.”

O’Neill will be coming up against Italian legend Gennaro Gattuso, who was appointed national team manager in June and has since won five of his six matches in charge.

In preparation, O’Neill and his backroom staff have watched all of Gattuso’s games closely while the Northern Ireland boss visited Bergamo in December – he was present at the New Balance Arena for Atalanta vs Inter.

O’Neill will take charge of Blackburn’s Championship clash against Middlesbrough five days before facing the Italians, but he claims Northern Ireland fans should rest assured that preparation has already been completed.

"Well, they (fans) shouldn't be (upset), really, because they know that I'm going to manage the team in March,” he added. “That was always the intention, that hasn't changed in any way.

"They'll get a better version of me for doing this job, I can assure them of that.

"I think there has to be an understanding of what my job involves between now and March. I'm not comparing my situation to Gattuso's and I don't think that's fair.

"I have a team prepared, I know my backroom staff have got everything we've prepared on Italy.

"We've done as much work as is relevant on Wales and Bosnia...we would look at that second game on the basis of the first game, which would be most relevant.

"Italy aren't going to play any games between now and March, so the information that we have is what we will go on based on the analysis that we do.

"Unless on the night Gennaro Gattuso does something totally out of the blue, we won't be able to pre-empt that between now and March anyway.

"So I don't think the fans should be concerned about where my focus will be, and I can assure them that the team will be as well prepared as it ever is...I think you know me well enough to know that that will be the case.”