End of the line for O’Neill and Rovers

Michael O’Neill’s three-year spell in charge of Shamrock Rovers appears to be at an end, as he has told his players he is leaving.

Team captain Dan Murray told the Irish Times: "He said that contract negotiations had broken down. He said he was telling us so he could focus on Thursday's game and make sure we do ourselves justice.

"I was pretty surprised myself because we've had a pretty good year but it's one of those things.

"It will be sad to see him go. He brought me to the club from Cork and made me captain. We've done well in the league here and had some enjoyable nights in Europe."

The last of those European nights, at least for this year, is on Thursday when the Hoops welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Tallaght. It also looks set to be O’Neill’s last game in charge.

In his three years O’Neill won two league titles but for the last six months it has been rumoured that he and the club were struggling to agree a new deal that suited both parties.

O’Neill was also heavily linked with the still vacant Northern Ireland job and the Hibs job that eventually went to Pat Fenlon.