What Michael O’Neill actually said to Blackburn Rovers players in Bramall Lane dressing room | OneFootball

Michael O'Neill praised the Blackburn players after their win at Sheffield United ensured they can't be relegated this season.

Blackburn Rovers secured their Championship status with an impressive 3-1 against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Wednesday night.

It has been a very difficult campaign for Rovers, and when Michael O’Neill was appointed as Valerien Ismael’s short-term successor in February, there was the very real possibility of relegation, as the club were in the bottom three on goal difference.

However, the Northern Ireland chief quickly made his mark, as Blackburn were very difficult to beat, and despite a challenging fixture list, they are safe going into their final game.

Michael O’Neill sends Blackburn message after crucial Sheffield United win

O’Neill has picked up 20 points from his 15 games, which highlights the improvement since his appointment, so it’s no surprise that Blackburn are desperate to keep the ex-Stoke boss beyond the next few weeks.

It remains to be seen whether a deal is agreed with Northern Ireland, but, for now, O’Neill and the players can take satisfaction from achieving their objective with that win at Sheffield United.

Two goals from Yuki Ohashi, with an effort from Ryoya Morishita in between, put Blackburn in a commanding position at the break, and whilst the hosts were better in the second half, Rovers held on for three points to ensure they have an eight-point gap to 22nd-placed Oxford.

Naturally, there were celebrations in the dressing room after the game, and Blackburn shared footage on their social media of O’Neill addressing the players, where he thanked them for the way they bought into his demands.

“Well done. It was an unbelievable first half, but a horrendous second half," O'Neill told his players.

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“But, brilliant, well done. You’ve had a lot to deal with, and we’re celebrating this, but realistically what we’ve got to recognise is we’ve stayed in the league.

"From where we were, that’s something we should take, but it’s a small thing. This club is way bigger than fighting to stay in this league, and you know that yourself.

“At the end of the day, it was a difficult situation when I came in, and all I can say is that you gave everything I asked of you, everything as a manager you can ask of players, and I thank you for that, because you’ve been magnificent from that point of view.”

Blackburn Rovers must do all they can to keep Michael O’Neill at the club

This is a great message from O’Neill, as he is right to say that Blackburn are a club with a proud history, so staying in the Championship isn’t something to shout about.

Nevertheless, the reality is they were really struggling when he came in, and he had some very difficult games to navigate, with a squad low on confidence and a fan base understandably upset at the way their club has been managed by their owners over the years.

Yet, he quickly found a style of play that suited the players, and the results they have picked up over the past few months have been very good, and, if you applied that return over a full season, they wouldn’t have been near relegation trouble.

So, keeping O’Neill is a no-brainer for Rovers, and whilst it has been confirmed that Venky’s are keen on extending his stay, there will be concern among the fan base until it is signed and sealed, as it would be no surprise if other clubs have taken notice.

There is still a home game against Leicester to come for Blackburn, but O’Neill and the players deserve credit for ensuring it won’t be a nervy afternoon for all connected to the club.