Martin O’Neill has further stoked the Republic of Ireland’s row with Everton by insisting he will call Donald Trump before he speaks to Ronald Koeman.
The pair have regularly feuded in recent weeks over the handling of James McCarthy, who was recently called up by his country despite being injured.
Koeman and O’Neill publicly traded blows before the Blues midfielder voluntarily withdrew from this evening’s World Cup qualifier with Austria.
McCarthy’s decision sparked an incendiary response from O’Neill assistant Roy Keane, who claimed that Everton needed to ‘toughen up’ as a club.
And the Ireland manager believes speaking with Koeman is not high on his list of priorities, instead claiming he would call the two US presidential candidates first.
“He [Koeman] would join my to-call list, but I should first put a call into Donald Trump to congratulate him,” said O’Neill.
“And then give my commiserations to Hillary Clinton.
“Then somewhere down the line, Koeman, yes. There is also the possibility that someone might call me, no?”