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Northern Ireland manager reveals he hitchhiked to last tournament
How times have changed for Michael O’Neill.
Handout/Getty Images
Undoubtedly the best footballing story of the day comes courtesy of Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill, who has revealed that he hitchhiked to the last edition of the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine. Apparently an issue with the terms of his car hire meant O’Neill, who had only just taken charge of his national team, relied on some help from a German bus to get him to the games.
“We had a brainwave when we saw this bus with Germany fans, lots of people were staying in Poland and going across to Ukraine,” O’Neill said.
“I think it’s about 50-60 kilometres to Lviv and we approached this wee bus. My mate tried to explain what we were doing and who I was, so that we could get on. They didn’t know who I was, I was only in the job about six months, so when we got on they started to Google me and ‘Northern Ireland manager’ to see who I was.”
That’s what you call a love of the game. O’Neill has done an excellent job in charge of his national side, and they head into their match against Germany on Tuesday with a good chance of making the knockout stages. There’ll be no hitchhiking for him any longer.
Goal of the day
From Joe Allen’s pass to Aaron Ramsey’s run and finish, everything was perfect about this Wales goal in their win over Russia:
In the news
Albania's national team will be rewarded for their Euro 2016 heroics with symbolic diplomatic passports (BBC)
Ukraine coach Mykhaylo Fomenko will quit after admitting his side’s failure in France (Eurosport)
Juventus general director Beppe Marotta has all but confirmed Álvaro Morata’s return to Real Madrid (Gazzetta World)
Lazio are set to announce the hiring of Marcelo Bielsa today (Football Italia)
Fernando Torres will be at Atlético Madrid next season, but his contract has been shortened at the request of Diego Simeone (AS)
Leicester are upping the ante in their pursuit of Burnley's Michael Keane (ESPNFC)
David Beckham has waded into Britain’s EU referendum debate, backing the ‘Remain’ campaign (Independent)
You should be reading
Avram Alexandru on the slow death of Romanian football (These Football Times)
Priya Ramesh on the man Albania forgot (Unusual Efforts)
What happened on Monday
What to watch on Tuesday (click for listings, all times ET)
Euro 2016: Four games (from noon) -- Groups C and D reach a climax as the final opening phase matchday resumes in France.
Copa América: One game (at 9 p.m.) -- the United States have the unenviable task of trying to beat Argentina in the first Copa semifinal.
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