talkSPORT caller recalls O’Neill blasting him in trial and denying him contract
A talkSPORT caller revealed the time he got ‘absolutely hammered’ by Martin O’Neill during a Wycombe trial in a wild story.
Richard, a Tottenham fan, had phoned into the station to offer his verdict on what Ange Postecoglou‘s side had to do to win the north London derby on Sunday.
He felt Tottenham have played some quality football at the start of this season, but have not been able to convert their chances.
Richard believed the first 20 minutes would prove to be crucial and urged Tottenham to start strongly, otherwise the contest could swing in Arsenal‘s favour.
In a bizarre turn of events, Richard then made the wild revelation he came up against an O’Neill-managed team when he was just a teenager.
Richard, a self-confessed tricky winger but prone to laziness, played in an FA Youth Cup match for Aldershot when O’Neill was in charge at Wycombe and scored a self-proclaimed worldie.
It prompted O’Neill, who was in his first managerial role with the Chairboys, to phone him up.
“I don’t know how you got my number, Martin,” Richard said. “But you phoned me up at my house.
“My brother shouts out, ‘Richard, Martin O’Neill is on the phone!’ This is a true story. And I obviously thought someone is taking the mick. I pick up the phone and dare I say it, Martin O’Neill is on the phone. He says, ‘I want you to come and have a trial with me at Wycombe.'”
However, Richard’s trial did not go to plan.
In a reserve game at Roots Hall at Southend, Richard failed to make an impression O’Neill, who was evidently left less than impressed.
“You absolutely hammered me because I was absolutely useless,” Richard said.
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Martin O’Neill’s managerial career in numbers
Wycombe Wanders (1990-1995): 140 wins, 63 draws, 59 losses (53.4% win rate)
Norwich City (1995-1995): 9 wins, 7 draws, 4 losses (45% win rate)
Leicester City (1995-2000): 85 wins, 68 draws, 70 losses (38.1% win rate)
Celtic (2000-2005): 213 wins, 29 draws, 40 losses (75.5% win rate)
Aston Villa (2006-2010): 80 wins, 60 draws, 50 losses (42.11% win rate)
Sunderland (2011-2013): 21 wins, 20 draws, 25 losses (31.8%)
Republic of Ireland (2013-2018): 19 wins, 20 draws, 16 losses (34.5% win rate)
Nottingham Forest (2019-2019): 8 wins, 3 draws, 8 losses (42.1% win rate)
O’Neill had a great laugh about it and defended his straight-talking ways.
“Richard, that is absolutely brilliant,” O’Neill said.
“It didn’t matter whether you were a triallist or not, I’m afraid I had to tell you the truth.”
Richard then offered more details on the failed trial and even claimed he was on the brink of a professional deal.
“I had my trial, I don’t think I touched the ball in 45 minutes,” Richard said.
“Stood there like a lemon. Honestly, you said to me, ‘Richard, all you had to do was perform and I would have given you a contract’. You hammered me in a positive way.”
Despite O’Neill’s critique, Richard has since used it to help the next generation.
Now a coach, Richard is also in charge of a football club and believes O’Neill’s hammering gave him an idea of how to talk to youngsters about improving their game.
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Perhaps it isn’t much of a surprise Richard has learned a lot from O’Neill given the Northern Irishman has managed nearly 1000 games in his career.
The 72-year-old enjoyed plenty of success at various stops, including three Scottish Premier League titles during his stint at Celtic.
He is now the chair of the League Managers Association having succeeded Howard Wilkinson.
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