Michael O’Neill: A year at Stoke City

Sunday marked one year since Michael O’Neill was announced as Stoke City boss, and the sinking ship that the Potters were once on finally looks to have turned around thanks to the Northern Irishman.

O’Neill has revitalised City’s fortunes and proved to many fans that the role is not a poisoned chalice. He’s picked up 19 wins out of his first 42 league fixtures during his time in charge and has given the Potters hope that Premier League football could return to the Bet365 stadium sooner rather than later.

Following their relegation from England’s top tier over two years ago, the Championship side’s managerial recruitment has proved to be poor. Both Gary Rowett and Nathan Jones both hugely underperformed whilst at the helm, with the latter only winning five of his 35 games due to his reluctance to stray away from his infamous diamond formation.

Jones was sacked after stranding his side in the drop zone, four points adrift from safety, despite being tipped for the play-offs at the beginning of the term.

However, O’Neill immediately endeared himself to the Stoke City faithful with his first game at Oakwell last November. His side eased past the Yorkshire outfit, scoring four goals in the process, with the Northern Irish manager impressing from the outset.

In the previous 88 matches in all competitions, the Potters had failed to score three or more goals every time; therefore, when O’Neill broke this duck with his first attempt, the whole club felt a giant weight lift off their shoulders. This feat would be replicated ten times throughout his first year in charge as he’s been able to inject goals into a Stoke City side that have struggled in that department for years.

This epitomised on the final day of last season as a side with nothing to play for dismantled a play-off chasing Nottingham Forest side 4-1, consequently crushing their dreams of promotion.

Despite the initial optimism from supporters, off the back of O’Neill’s maiden victory against Barnsley and late win against Wigan, City sat bottom on Christmas Day due to a poor run in December. But Boxing Day has been pinpointed by many as a key turning point in the bosses’ Stoke career.

They faced Sheffield Wednesday at home in a dramatic game that finished 3-2 to the Potters. It was two Injury time goals from Tyrese Campbell and Sam Vokes that sent the Bet365 stadium into raptures and secured the victory.

It installed both the players and the fans with a new lease of life going into the new year and ultimately spurred them on to not only stay in the division but finish in a comfortable 15th position. The post-Christmas revival saw an abundance of eye-catching result, including: an emphatic 5-2 win away at Huddersfield, an intense 1-0 away victory at league leaders West Brom and a 5-1 drubbing of Hull, as well as the aforementioned victory at Forest.

Going into the new season, City have seemingly continued this form under O’Neill, who has put a strong emphasis on the side’s defensive stability. Furthermore, he’s found a new willingness to blood more and more young players into the first, most notably the two young centre backs Nathan Collins and Harry Souttar. Alongside Adam Davies in goal, the Potters’ exciting mix of youth and experience has seen them keep nine clean sheets in 15 games in all competitions this campaign.

This promising start to the season culminated in last Saturday’s 3-0 away victory at league leaders Reading and sees Stoke sat in eighth place, just four points off top spot as we enter the international break; therefore showing exactly how far they’ve come under Michael O’Neill after just 12 months at the wheel.

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