McGeady has only played 45 minutes of club football this season- away to Barnsley in the Capital One Cup- but remains part of Ireland’s Euro 2016 plans.
With two matches to go O’Neill’s side are four points clear of Scotland knowing that a win at home to Germany or in Poland will ensure a play-off spot regardless of how Gordon Strachan’s side fare in their final matches.
McGeady got Ireland off to the perfect start in the qualifying campaign scoring a double in the opening match away to Georgia with his international boss believing that he may still have a role to play in the closing matches.
“I wouldn’t dismiss somebody with that talent,” O’Neill said. “The fact is that if Aiden was fully fit, there’s a fairly decent chance he would be in the side. It’s just trying to get that sort of fitness again but a little cameo role by him, 25 minutes or half an hour, you never know, might make the difference in a game.”
A year ago Ireland drew 1-1 in Germany against the world champions but since then their campaign has faltered with Georgia and Gibralter the only teams that have been beaten.
While taking on the Germans the Scotland v Poland match will be closely followed with O’Neill happy to accept a play off spot regardless of how it comes around.
A win for Poland at Hampden would give Ireland a play-off place with O’Neill not fussy about how his side negotiate their way out of the group.
“If you were saying would I take the play-offs now, there’s no point in beating around the bush — yeah,” he answered. “Whatever way you get into the play-offs, I’d take getting into the play-offs, regardless of who we play.”