Kerry born Shamrock Rovers star Gary O’Neill has his eyes on a June return to action after winning his battle with testicular cancer.
O’Neill revealed the reason behind his six-month absence from the Rovers first team squad in an interview with the club’s own TV channel last week.
And he has now confirmed to RTE’s Oliver Callan Show that he intends to push for a first team comeback in the Dublin derby with Shelbourne on June 12th.
The RTE website quotes from O’Neill’s interview with the Callan show when he stated: “I have a goal in my mind and I think it’s definitely an optimistic goal to be brutally honest with you, but we have a mid-season break the first week of June and I’m looking at coming back after that mid-season break.
“I won’t be ready to start a match or anything but I want to be back with the team and back training and then eventually knocking on the manager’s door looking for a few minutes.
“So yeah, it’s not too far away. That might be optimistic but that’s just my goal.”
Ireland’s 1990 World Cup foe Gheorghe Hagi is back in charge of the Romanian team for the second time - and has declared his intention to win every game his team plays as they look to qualify for Euro 2028.
Hagi was one of the stars of the show at Italia ‘90 when his Romanian side were eventually knocked out on penalties by Ireland in their famous last 16 clash in Genoa.
Now he could Romania to a Dublin date at the Euro 28 finals after making some bold statements at his inauguration according to the Guardian report.
“Our goal is to win every game. Our goal is to win the Nations League. Our goal is to qualify for the European Championship in 2028,” Hagi said at a press conference in Bucharest.
“I was born to win, not just to exist. Don’t you know my motto? This is an honour and a great responsibility but also a huge challenge to make the country and our supporters happy.”
Liverpool and England legend Michael Owen has told Ireland hero Troy Parrott to test himself at the highest level when clubs come calling to AZ Alkmaar for his services this summer.
Parrott’s 30th goal of the season helped AZ win the KNVB Dutch Cup for only the fifth time on Sunday as the likes of AC Milan, Wolfsburg, Borussia Dortmund, Leeds United, Everton, West Ham and Fulham have been linked with the Dubliner.
Owen told the Irish Mirror: “This is a short career. If the opportunity arises, then you can’t keep a good man down. You’ve got to try it. If an opportunity arises to better yourself, then absolutely.”
French defender Ibrahima Konate looks set to extend his Liverpool career and sign a new contract extension in the coming weeks according to reports.
The Irish Examiner is one of many outlets suggesting that Konate will extend his current deal which expires in June and quotes the player’s remarks after Sunday’s win at Everton.
“My future? To be fair, there are many things people have said but for a long time we have spoken with the club and we are close to an agreement,” said Konate.
German coach Marco Rose will make his Premier League bow next season when he takes charge of Bournemouth on a three-year contract as replacement for Andoni Iraola.
The BBC reports that Bournemouth have confirmed the appointment of former Leipzig boss Rose just days after Iraola confirmed he would not sign a new deal at Vitality Stadium.
Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna and Rayo Vallecano’s Inigo Perez were also in contention for the job according to the BBC.
