Michael O'Neill discloses Ronan Hale interest but international call a way off yet

Michael O'Neill says he has fielded several calls from managers in the UK enquiring about Ronan Hale. The 25-year-old is one of the Irish League's hottest properties, as he showed in the Irish Cup final earlier this month.

His memorable brace ended Cliftonville's 45-year wait to lift the trophy and earned the 25-year-old the plaudits. Speculation is intensifying that the Reds frontman is set for a move across the water this summer.

The interest is certainly there for Hale, who spent two years at Birmingham City in his late teens. But while he is being tipped to continue his rise to the top it seems like a call-up for Northern Ireland may still be a little while off as O'Neill explained.

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"No because he has played for the Republic of Ireland," said the NI boss when asked if Hale was on the stand-by list for next month's friendlies against Spain and Andorra.

"Ronan has not been in our squads from a young age. He has been in the Republic squads from a young age, but he is still eligible to play for us if he opts to do that.

"I wouldn’t pick a player unless he had committed to do an international transfer. The fact is we could pick him and play him but it wouldn’t really count for anything and I don’t think that would send the right message to the rest of the squad.

"That might be a conversation that Ronan and I can have. I’ve had a couple of calls about him from clubs in the UK. He has had a great season and I was here for the Irish Cup final when he had a great day."

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