Report: O'Neill rejects Stoke City to remain Ireland boss

Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill will remain in charge of the national team after turning down the chance to oversee Stoke City, according to The Telegraph's Luke Edwards.

Stoke has now failed twice in its efforts to secure a replacement for Mark Hughes. Espanyol's Quique Sanchez Flores also rejected the Premier League club in recent days.

Despite the offer of a pay raise, assistant coach Roy Keane reportedly persuaded O'Neill to resist Stoke's approach. It's believed Keane would have joined O'Neill's staff had he accepted the Potters' terms.

The snub apparently "shocked" Stoke's executives, who fired Hughes almost immediately after last weekend's 3-1 defeat to fourth-tier Coventry City in the third round of the FA Cup.

The pressure is now on club chairman Peter Coates to find a permanent manager before Stoke falls deeper into the relegation zone.