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Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill has slammed the Football Association of Ireland as "morally poor" as the row over 'poaching' of players goes on.

O'Neill was left furious after Aaron McEneff, who has played for Northern Ireland under-21s throughout their current campaign, was encouraged to switch allegiances to the Republic of Ireland.

"We know we will face a challenge on young players," O'Neill told Sunday Life.

"We know conversations happen between the Republic of Ireland and our young players but I thought it was terrible to approach a player [McEneff] with two games of our Under-21 Euro campaign to go.

"I thought it was morally poor for the Republic of Ireland to do that, to ask a young player to make that decision and I made that clear to Noel King [ROI under-21 manager] at the time."

McEneff is the latest in a long line of players who have turned out for Northern Ireland at under-age level only to later switch to the Republic.

(Image: William Cherry/Presseye)

His brother Jordan is a promising talent in the Arsenal youth team – and followed a similar path.

O'Neill said: "With Jordan McEneff I feel for our coaching staff who had worked with the boy for three tears in Club NI.

"He captained our Under-16 Victory Shield side and after that he opted out. There was nothing we could do.

"I do think the situation where we have young players being approached at such a young age, say at 17, 19 and Under-21 level, needs to change until they are a bit older.

"At a young age there's an emotional tie and kids react to things. I hear at times about how it's always been a young player's dream to play for the Republic.

"I heard about the Hale brothers – Aston Villa's Rory and Birmingham City's Ronan – who made the switch. Well then, why did they play for Northern Ireland to begin with?

"If you're going to follow your dream, follow it. But I think it leaves us in a particular situation. The purpose of Club NI is to develop the players but also to build that link with them.

"We are trying to give the kids as much as we can with the resources available."

He added: "There are examples of players switching and they don't play any games for the Republic. It would be great if they [the FAI] looked at it and said, 'do we genuinely think he is going to be a senior player for us or are we just taking him for the sake of it?'."