New Stoke City boss Michael O'Neill admitted the intensity of the Championship surprised him as the watched the Potters beat Barnsley 4-2 on Saturday.

The 50-year-old was named as Nathan Jones' successor on Friday and wanted to be in the dugout for the trip to Oakwell.

And, it was the right decision, with the players responding by producing a strong performance as they beat their fellow strugglers.

It was a great game for Stoke and for the neutral, with both sides playing attacking football and O'Neill told the official site that he didn't think the two teams would be able to maintain the frenetic pace throughout.

"It was a little bit different from international football. The intensity of the game never really relented.

"I thought possibly after 20 minutes it might settle down, but the lads in the dugout told me no, it will be like this for 90 minutes. Which is good, you just have to get used to it."

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The Northern Ireland boss will link up with the national team for their upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers before attention switches back to Stoke when they host Wigan on November 23.

The verdict

This is a good insight from O'Neill as it shows the difference between the Championship and international football and what he says probably won't be a surprise.

The league is known for the relentless way teams play and that's what makes it so interesting and good to watch.

O'Neill will have to adapt quickly and the early signs are positive for Stoke after their crucial win on Saturday.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.