Leo Ostigard reveals Michael O'Neill "problems" and drops Stoke City exit admission | OneFootball

Leo Ostigard spent the first half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan with Stoke City

Former Stoke City loanee Leo Ostigard has opened up on his brief stint with the Championship club and revealed that problems with former boss Michael O'Neill played a part in his exit.

The Potters signed the defender on loan from Brighton in the summer of 2021, but he lasted just six months with the team before moving on to Italian side Genoa.

The centre-back made 13 league appearances in the second division, 12 of which came as starts, before departing in December that year (all stats from Fbref).

Ostigard has since gone on to play for the likes of Napoli and Rennes following his permanent departure from Brighton in 2022, having also enjoyed a loan stint with Coventry City in the Championship prior to his move to the Potters.

The 24-year-old’s final appearance for Stoke came in a 1-0 loss away to Bristol City on 24 November.

Leo Ostigard opens up on Stoke exit

Ostigard has revealed that he had problems with manager O’Neill during his time with Stoke, which contributed to his early exit.

He has claimed that he felt like a new person with the move to Genoa, indicating it was the right next step to make in his career at that point.

“I don’t regret anything!” said Ostigard, via Ouest France.

“At Brighton I was young and it was difficult to play, so they loaned me out a few times. It was usual for them to do that.

“I first went to St. Pauli, in Hamburg. It was the first time I really played at the professional level.

“I still love this club, it was perfect to start with.

“Then I was loaned to the Championship [to Coventry City], in a difficult Championship, people don’t realise how difficult.

“Then I went to Stoke City, where I had problems with the manager.

“I found myself in Genoa in January. I felt like a new person because I saw the sun in the morning!

“And after Genoa, I went to Napoli.”

Michael O’Neill’s Stoke stint

O’Neill was appointed as Stoke manager in November 2019, before being dismissed in August 2022.

He oversaw 15th, 14th and 14th place finishes in the Championship before being replaced by Alex Neil.

The 55-year-old guided Stoke to 55 wins from his 143 games in charge, and has since gone on to make a return to the Northern Ireland international team, where he previously worked prior to his move to English football.

Meanwhile, Ostigard made the switch from Napoli to Rennes last summer in a deal believed to be worth €7 (£8.4) million.

Ostigard’s career worked out after disappointing Stoke loan

Ostigard’s loan move to Stoke didn’t work out, as the player ultimately fell out of favour with O’Neill and left earlier than expected.

While things didn’t work out for the Potters and O’Neill, with the team coming 14th that season, Ostigard’s decision to move to Genoa helped to further his career.

He is now competing at the highest level of French football, and was a part of the Napoli side that won the Serie A title in 2023.

Given how his career has panned out, Stoke supporters may be wondering why the club was so quick to see him leave his loan so early back in 2021.