As expected, Michael O'Neill has now been confirmed as Northern Ireland's new international football manager.
The ex-Shamrock Rovers boss has been chosen ahead of his former Rovers colleague Jim Magilton and fellow ex-Northern Ireland star Iain Dowie by the Irish Football Association, who have been looking for a new manager since the departure of Nigel Worthington after the failed qualification campaign for Euro 2012.
O'Neill has signed an initial two-year deal and will begin work at the national side’s helm on February 1.
He recently left Rovers at the end of their failed Europa League group stage campaign, the side having been the first Irish side to ever reach that round. O’Neill, who has also managed Brechin City, led the Hoops to two League of Ireland titles.
On accepting his new post, O’Neill said, "I am honoured to be chosen to manage my country. I am a proud Northern Irishman who was fortunate enough to win 33 senior caps and it was always an ambition to manage my country.
"To be entrusted with the role early in my managerial career is quite humbling but I am confident that we can make progress. Northern Ireland has a strong football tradition but one that needs to be refreshed with some more contemporary success.
"That is my primary objective - to restore a sense of belief and pride in what it means to represent Northern Ireland so that our players will want only to play for their country. That is how it should be. There is a huge amount of work to be done but with the right direction and the necessary passion good progress can be made.
"The board and the CEO have a clear plan for the future and have given me responsibility to set about the task of renewal within the context of a long-term plan. At the same time, in the interests of everyone involved, most particularly our supporters my job is to work with the players to sustain a competitive performance throughout the qualifying phase of the 2014 World Cup Finals."
Portugal and Russia are among the top sides standing in Northern Ireland’s way in the bid to reach those finals in Brazil, with Jim Shaw, president of the Irish FA, adding: "I am delighted that Michael has accepted the role of managing our senior international team and I would like to wish him every success as he prepares for the world cup qualifying campaign next year."
Patrick Nelson, chief-executive of the Irish FA, added: "Michael was the stand-out choice from an excellent field. The selection panel was very impressed with his thoughts and plans for football in Northern Ireland over the coming years.
“We are all looking forward to February 29 now when we take on Norway at Windsor Park."
The Norway game is a friendly, with it also recently announced that O’Neill’s men will face Euro 2012 hopefuls Holland in another friendly game in June.