Ian Baraclough has been verified as the new Northern Ireland manager subsequent talks around the previous 24 several hours involving his agent and the Irish FA.
The 49-12 months-old’s appointment was ratified at an IFA Board assembly on Saturday following terms experienced been agreed.
He has signed an 18-thirty day period agreement which will operate right until the end of the 2022 Environment Cup qualifying marketing campaign.
Baraclough will do well Michael O’Neill, who appointed the Englishman as his Beneath-21 manager in 2017.
The appointment will present the Irish FA with the continuity they said they have been seeking for following O’Neill’s departure to Championship club Stoke Town.
Five candidates were interviewed for the job but Baraclough emerged as the IFA’s preference to choose the squad into the forthcoming Euro 2021 perform-offs, as well as the Nations League and World Cup qualifying campaigns.
“I was delighted to be linked to the position. To in the long run accept the job as the new Northern Eire manager is an honour and a privilege. I could not be additional energised and thrilled to get likely,” mentioned Baraclough.
Irish FA chief govt officer Patrick Nelson commented: “I’m delighted to welcome Ian as our senior men’s group supervisor. He will enable us establish on modern good results but also kickstart an enjoyable new era for the men’s senior staff and the affiliation.”
Nations League and Euro perform-off for starters
His initially two matches in demand will be in the Nations League – absent to Romania on 4 September and dwelling to Norway three days afterwards – adopted by the Euro play-off absent to Bosnia-Herzegovina on 8 Oct.
He will grow to be only the next Englishman – and second non-Northern Irishman – to manage Northern Eire, the other currently being Lawrie McMenemy, who was in demand from 1998 to 1999.
The former Queens Park Rangers defender had stepped up his involvement with the senior crew in recent months following O’Neill took over at Stoke.
In generating their preference, the IFA adhere to the case in point of England and the Republic of Eire in promoting their Less than-21 manager to the senior submit, with Gareth Southgate and Stephen Kenny possessing adopted a identical occupation trajectory.
Motherwell supervisor Stephen Robinson, ex-St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright, IFA elite functionality director Jim Magilton and Northern Ireland women’s supervisor Kenny Shiels were also interviewed for the post on Wednesday.
Has labored in England, Scotland and Rep of Eire
Baraclough is Northern Ireland’s most effective Underneath-21 boss and previously managed Sligo Rovers to the League of Ireland title.
He also secured an FAI Cup achievement and a Setanta Cup triumph as he revived the club’s fortunes when he took over in February 2012.
This was adopted by a transfer to Motherwell, the place he helped make certain the club’s Premiership survival many thanks to a two-legged advertising/relegation engage in-off gain about Rangers.
Baraclough has also managed in England at Scunthorpe United, where by he completed his playing occupation, and his CV also consists of a spell as an assistant at Oldham Athletic.
Robinson, a fellow contender for the Northern Eire placement, was assistant to Baraclough at Motherwell, ahead of the roles were reversed at Oldham.
Baraclough guided Northern Ireland’s Under-21 facet to eye-catching victories over Spain and Iceland for the duration of his 1st marketing campaign in cost.
His young rates completed 2nd in their qualifying team for the 2019 Euro Underneath-21 Championships, narrowly lacking out on a enjoy-off place on the last night of the marketing campaign.
He has by now labored with lots of of the young crop of the present-day senior Northern Ireland squad, including Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Jamal Lewis, Liam Donnelly, Jordan Thompson, Gavin Whyte and Mark Sykes.
