Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill has opened up about his close relationship with defender Jonny Evans, who retired from international football last week.
The 36-year-old Manchester United defender hung up his Northern Ireland boots after 18 years of sterling service over which he won an incredible 107 caps.
The Newtownabbey man made his debut against Spain in September 2006, with Lawrie Sanchez giving him his debut at left back in an unforgettable 3-2 win.
Since then, he has played under Nigel Worthington and Ian Baraclough on the international stage, and Alex Ferguson, David Moyes, Louis Van Gaal, Roy Keane, Tony Pulis and Brendan Rodgers.
But there is a special bond between Evans and O’Neill, more than just a player-manager rapport.
O’Neill always knew he could rely on his trusted lieutenant and this week revealed how the relationship was formed in difficult times for both of them.
“I remember the game he played in Portugal (October 2012, 1-1 draw in Porto)”, said the Northern Ireland manager.
“His level of performance that night was incredible, a brilliant performance against a really good Portugal team.
“It was a game that we nearly won, we just conceded in the last 10 minutes and I think he showed his level of performance in that game.
“Also the other side. I remember he was sent off in Azerbaijan near the end of that campaign (October 2013, 2-0 defeat), and it was stupid, he knew it himself.
“He came to my hotel room that night, apologised for being sent off and then we spoke openly about where the team was, where I thought it could go.
“He sympathised with me about how difficult the job was at that time and I suppose that was the start of realising we can have these conversations, it’s not just player-manager all the time.
“It was a difficult night. We didn’t play that badly but we lost the game 2-0 and it was a very, very challenging campaign.
“I probably didn’t know if I was going to stay on at that point. I had a two-year contract at the time.
“Those players were important to me then because I think those relationships started to develop in some pretty challenging times.
“There were a couple of times when those players had to be told home truths as well, they accepted that and it didn’t affect our relationship.
“Jonny was always one that I discussed the team with a little bit, and he was good because he was prepared to challenge you, which I always liked.
“He would ask, ‘why would you do that?’, or say ‘I don’t think we should do that’.
“I think that’s important in the dressing room, that someone feels they can go and speak to the manager about the team if they feel it is necessary.
“He always had that in him and he was always doing his best for the team.
“The first game I won was Russia here in Belfast (Aug 2013, 1-0) and Jonny was ill.
“He had been bad for about 24 hours, the doctor came in and said ‘listen, I’ve given him everything, I’ve thrown everything at him’.
“It was about 4 o’clock, pre-match, and Jonny came down to the room and I asked him how he was.
“He looked terrible but he said ‘I’ll go and try, I’ll warm up and see if I can play’, and I took the decision out of his hands.
“I said ‘no, you can’t play, you don’t look well’.
“But the fact that he was prepared to put himself in that position, for a game that had nothing at stake – apart from my reputation.
“I was trying to win games and ironically we did go and win the game and Jonny didn’t play.
“I remember we went back to the hotel that night, and he was sitting about and he was delighted we had won the game.
“Just little things like that, the fact that he was always prepared to play, and I think that’s why he’s so valued at United.
“He played a lot last season. I think he played a lot of games last season when a lot of other players wouldn’t have, particularly the modern day player.
“I think he put himself out all the time, put himself across the white line when the team needed him to do it.
“That alone is why you are worth your contract to stay at Man United, because you’re a great example to others because too many players these days find a reason not to play.
“It’s great when you’ve got an older player who is just desperate to play all the time and values playing.
“For me, that’s the thing that I will take away most from Jonny, that he always did everything he could to play.”
Evans has a year left on his current deal at Old Trafford, having proved his worth last season.
Whether he plays on after that remains to be seen, and O’Neill feels he could stay in the game if he wants to.
He sees the classy defender as more of a manager than a coach, but hints that Evans might find a different role in the game when he hangs his boots up.
“I definitely think he could be a manager, if he wants to be a manager”, said the Ballymena man.
“I think that would be the role I could see him in more than a coach to be honest.
“Whether he wants to do it or not, the demands of management against a young family life...
“A lot of modern day players won’t need to be a manager from a financial point of view.
“The motivation to do it has to come from a professional desire to become a manager and I think if he does stay in the game that would be the role he would stay in.
“However, I also think he could be in another strategic role that would be very useful in football.
“His intelligence lends itself to that.”