Editorial: ​Here we go again NI fans… another chance to dream

​Old pain will give way to new hope for Northern Ireland football fans this week with the start of another tournament cycle.

​Friday’s kick-off away to Georgia arrives 183 days since World Cup qualification heartbreak for Michael O’Neill’s men in Italy.

Now a revised international calendar across the UEFA Nations League serves up four games inside an 11-day period – starting in Tbilisi and ending with Georgia’s visit to Belfast on Monday, October 5 either side of dates against Hungary (home, September 28) and Ukraine (away, October 2).

Fixture congestion is far from the sole test for O’Neill, with promotion out of the last Nations League third-tier system handing Northern Ireland increased challenges in terms of opposition quality. Ukraine and Hungary both sit inside the 30s in the latest FIFA World Rankings list, with Northern Ireland two places above Georgia in 70th.

The Euro 2016 finals campaign may now be a decade in the dust but Northern Ireland’s most recent appearance at a major men’s tournament. However, hope springs eternal from clear progress by a new generation of talent. O’Neill’s continued commitment to youth development is represented by a current squad boasting an average age of 24, four teenagers in total and no fewer than 17 from 28 under 25 years old.

Cause for optimism can come from facing Georgia first then the visit to the National Stadium of Hungary and another chance for the Green And White Army to help maximise home advantage.

Faith from fans in an ever-evolving squad full of hunger and enthusiasm stands strong and past pain from that World Cup qualification finale can be consigned to history once the first whistle blows on Friday.

Another journey, another set of dreams...