Simon Jordan has questioned why Michael O'Neill would want to return as Northern Ireland manager.
O'Neill is back for a second spell as international boss after agreeing a bumper five-and-a-half-year deal with the Irish FA.
The 53-year-old led Northern Ireland to the Euro 2016 finals during an impressive first stint with his country which lasted almost nine years.
Read more: O'Neill not worried about potential retirements ahead of Euro 2024 qualifiers
He took up a club job with Stoke City in November 2019, initially in a dual role with Northern Ireland before resigning in April 2020.
O'Neill has been out of work since August when he was sacked by Stoke, but is now back at the international helm.
Reflecting on O'Neill's departure and subsequent return, Jordan told talkSPORT: "If you departed because someone fired you, then that's one set of circumstances. Michael O'Neill resigned, so he left Northern Ireland for reasons.
"Now if there has been a massive change in the reasons why he would have resigned at that time, then that makes a case for going back.
"If the circumstances are still the same, then why would you go back? Would you go back because ultimately this is the only gig in town for you, and that you haven't made a great fist of it at Stoke City? And this is the opportunity that comes your way?
"I tend to think the reasons why you leave somewhere, are the same reasons why you shouldn't go back. Because there are reasons why you departed.
"If someone fires you, but then the owner changes, then that is a different set of scenarios."
O'Neill was unveiled at a press conference on Wednesday, and admitted the "time was right" to return to the international fold.
He said: "Football is all about timing. First of all there was an opportunity.
"I’d had that period in the Championship which was at times very rewarding but also at times quite gruelling. I’m honest enough to admit that. Every Championship manager would tell you the same.
"I just got a feeling for it. Sometimes in club football you don’t get an opportunity to build anything. You are constantly dealing with a lot of things like Financial Fair Play.
"Stoke is a really good club with really good people but until you go into any job you never know what the club is like from the outside looking in. I think there is a tenure in club management which is all too short for too many managers and the opportunity to build something doesn’t exist."
He added: "I also felt that the feeling you have in club football to the feeling you have in international football is hugely different and not just going to a major tournament again because that’s what you dream about but just being back here and enjoying the job, being with the players again and building the squad was something I felt was too good an opportunity to turn down.
"You can always talk about it is not a good time but in a similar way people felt when I took the job initially I was too young and it wasn’t the right time in my career but you never know when it will come around again.
"Something else could have come into the job and been hugely successful so you might never get the opportunity. I was conscious that the Association wanted me to come back, their commitment to me was massive which was a big thing as well and I was only too happy to take up the reins again."
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