Ian Baraclough is the new coach of the Northern Ireland national football team. The former defender succeeds Michael O’Neill. The 49-year-old Baraclough had previously worked as a coach for the Northern Irish U21 and is only the second Englishman to be coached in the country from the United Kingdom.
Former coach O’Neill is also the coach of the English second division club Stoke City and had resigned from the Northern Irish team in April due to scheduling difficulties due to the corona crisis. In the play-offs for the European Championship postponed to 2021, the Northern Irish will initially compete against Bosnia-Herzegovina. In the final of one of the last four European Championship tickets, there could be a duel with Ireland. Baraclough’s first game as a national coach is scheduled to take place in September as part of the Nations League in Romania.
.
