Revealing he is considering attending the Spurs-Aston Villa game at White Hart Lane tomorrow, O’Neill first highlighted the possibility that Jack Grealish might follow up his Premier League debut with another run-out for the visitors before cryptically adding there was “another element” to his attending the game, “a possibility of something else”.

Asked if this something else might be eligibility-based, the manager answered in the affirmative but, having dangled the bait, quickly withdrew it when Kane’s name was raised from the back of the press conference room in Abbotstown. “I am not listening to up there,” O’Neill chuckled. “I am ignoring what is being said up there.”

Just to add further to the intrigue, right-back Kyle Naughton is another Spurs player who, despite being capped for England at U21 level, is still Irish eligible.

All O’Neill would add to the speculation yesterday is he hopes to provide more clarity when he announces his final squad for the summer friendlies, likely on May 20.

By then, it’s expected that O’Neill will have added temporary additions to his backroom team for the extended schedule, with his long-time club coach Steve Walford in line to come on board. O’Neill ruled out a return for his old sidekick John Robertson, however, saying he is “happily retired” and in good shape following a health scare.

O’Neill also said that he has no problem with Roy Keane travelling to Lisbon for ITV’s Champions League final coverage on Saturday, May 24, noting that he would be back in the Irish camp for the following day’s friendly against Turkey in Dublin.

O’Neill himself plans to attend the Germany-Portugal game at the World Cup in his capacity as Ireland manager, as well as contributing to ITV coverage of other games.

It was also announced yesterday that, come autumn, Oman will provide the Euro qualifier warm-up opposition for Ireland in a friendly in Dublin on September 3.

The manager also made it clear that he thinks Hull’s David Meyler is very lucky not to be missing the FA Cup final after his apparent stamp on Manchester United’s Adnan Januzaj.

“I’d have to say yes,” said O’Neill. “I was really surprised at Meyler — us having praised him for saving Pardew and then suddenly he goes and let’s the old veil down. He is fortunate. Apparently the referee has said he did see the incident therefore it was done and dusted, but if he had seen the other angle he would have done something about it, so he is very lucky.”