Stoke line up Daniel Farke as emergency replacement if Michael O’Neill leaves after poor season

DANIEL FARKE is on an emergency hit-list of bosses if Michael O’Neill leaves Stoke.

The former Norwich chief is a free agent after leaving his job in Russia.

Farke, 45, wants to return to England and his name is being whispered in the Potteries where O’Neill has had a poor season.

Pressure is growing on the owners, the Coates family, with Blackburn’s Tony Mowbray and Derby’s Wayne Rooney on the radar if they act this summer.

O'Neill finished mid-table with Stoke last year and after a promising start to the campaign this season they find themselves 15th in the Championship.

Meanwhile former boss Nathan Jones has taken Luton Town all the way up to third playing an entertaining brand of football.

Farke employed a similar style at Norwich which saw him gain promotion to the Premier League twice before being sacked earlier this season.

The Canaries won the Championship with ease last season gaining 97 points in the process.

And although Farke has never quite cut it in the top-flight, Stoke will be happy as long as he takes the club back there.

Stoke have struggled since relegation from the Premier League in 2018 with a highest placed finish of 14th, which came last season.

The Coates family could struggle to attract Rooney to the club after he turned down a move to his beloved Everton.

The Derby boss stated that he wants to finish the project he has started at Pride Park, with the club's immediate future still uncertain.