O’Neill happy with Fergie move

The talented Eglinton man has moved to St Andrews on loan from Newcastle United for the season and O’Neill feels regular game time is just the tonic for the left winger.

“I’m delighted for Shane,” said O’Neill.

“I believe he has the potential to go and really play at the highest level, not just at international level, he’s an important part of my squad, but I think in his club career as well.

“Whilst he’s in the Championship, I think that with consistent game time at that level he can prove that he’s more than capable of playing in the Premier League, he just needs to get that game time.

“He has got a good manager at Birmingham in Lee Clark and I think it’s a really good move for him.

“I know he did very well in Birmingham last season while on loan, so game time will only help him and I’m delighted that he has got his move.”

The ex-Shamrock Rovers gaffer was an interested spectator at the Riverside Stadium on Wednesday night and he saw Northern Ireland’s Elite side defeat the United States 3-1 in the Milk Cup, at a packed Drumahoe.

“It was a different game for them tonight. After the good result against Denmark Stephen (Robinson) had to change the team a little bit, which you have to do when you have three games in five days, but I thought he got it right.

“He made some good substitutions at half-time and I thought second half they were a lot better and deserved to win in the end.”

One what who had a special night at ‘Stute was former midfielder Aaron McEneff.

The Spurs man started the move for Paul McElroy’s equaliser, before his inch perfect free-kick set-up Luke McCullough to give Northern Ireland a 2-1 advantage and O’Neill will be keeping tabs on the former Maiden City Academy starlet.

“Aaron is one we have high hopes for, he has only really been at full time football for a year,” he added.

“He moved over to Spurs slightly later than some of the other players and he maybe didn’t get much game time as he would have liked for one reason or another in terms of his development.

“But I like Aaron, I think he’s got a lot to offer and we’ll be keeping a close eye on him.

“As I have said he’s still young, he’s only 18, but a player who hopefully can continue to develop.”

O’Neill believes that Stephen Robinson’s Elite squad certainly are showing the potential.

“There has to be progression but what we are starting to see is these under age teams winning games, which is important.

“Stephen did a great job particularly with the U17’s last year, when they went to the second qualifying stage and the lads had 12 international games and we are seeing them players progress to the U19 squad.

“This Elite squad is a young squad, the team that finished had six under 19’s and they will form part of the Stephen Craigan’s team for the qualifying campaign.

“The good thing is that they are playing international games and know what it’s like to win at international level and that’s very important.

“It’s very difficult because whenever they go across to tournament football they now have that experience, not just being together but the experience of winning games.”