O'Neill focused on Villa role

General / Editor / 10 February 2007 / Leave a Comment

Martin O'Neill says that mounting pressure on England boss Steve McClaren won't distract him from his work with Aston Villa.

It's no secret that O'Neill was high on the FA's list of candidates when McClaren was appointed after the World Cup, but he insists that he isn't interested in replacing the current England boss.

"I am managing Aston Villa, and this is what I want to do. I want to manage Aston Villa," said the former Leicester and Celtic supremo.

The Villa Park boss thinks that England's problems have been overstated and that McClaren's leadership will take the side to the Euro 2008 finals.

"I think England will qualify from their group. I always think friendly matches are notorious for the result not being so clever and for lambasting to last a long time after that. England's main games are the qualifiers, and I don't think too many people would think they won't qualify."

Betfair share O'Neill's confidence in England and McClaren's men are 1.51 to qualify from Group E, with Croatia the 1.23 favourites while Russia can be backed at 2.68.

England are joint second favourites (8.8) with Holland to actually win Euro 2008, with World Cup semi-finalists Germany currently topping the market (7.6).