Callum Marshall says Northern Ireland exposure has enhanced development

The 19-year-old has gone from serving as a Windsor Park ballboy in the final game before Euro 2016 to a regular starter in Michael O'Neill's young side in just a few short years.

This season the West Ham forward is getting plenty of playing time on loan at Huddersfield, but like others in this Northern Ireland squad, he was getting minutes at international level even before it came at senior club level.

Denied a dream debut when his late goal against Denmark was ruled offside by the VAR in June 2023, Marshall is expected to add to his six caps when Northern Ireland face Belarus behind closed doors in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary tomorrow.

"I think (Northern Ireland's) been massive," Marshall said. "(After) my first camp...when I went back to West Ham I was training with the first-team internationals who had come back later than everyone else.

"So being in the first-team squad here, when I go back to my club I'm not just seen as a youth player, I'm seen as a serious contender to take part. It's been great for me."

After a frustrating loan at West Brom in the second part of last season brought little playing time, Marshall has made 11 appearances for Michael Duff's Huddersfield side, and is learning the ups and downs of senior football while hearing old Northern Ireland stories from his manager.

"I've been really enjoying playing regular football," he said. "This loan, I've really enjoyed it 100 times more and I've only been here a few weeks so it's been great. It's a big difference for me...

"It's going through the highs and lows as well. We won the first five games at Huddersfield and then lost the second five so we had the fans on our backs a lot which obviously happens anywhere. Then we won on Saturday.

"It's making sure we turn up every week and we're doing what we can to win the game and trying to keep the consistency."

Marshall has not found the net since scoring twice in his first three games for the Terriers, but he is not a striker who struggles for confidence, happy to point out that he has scored goals at all levels throughout his career.

His confidence was such that, when he was a ballboy for Northern Ireland's final Windsor Park game before the Euros eight years ago, getting his hands on Ollie Norwood's boots after a 3-0 friendly win that happened to come against Belarus, he already had a feeling it could be him one day.

"To be honest, I thought I might end up playing for Northern Ireland like those players," he recalled. "I always backed myself when I was younger."

Northern Ireland's need to find a consistent goalscorer remains, but competition for places is stepping up, with ADO Den Haag's Lee Bonis called into this squad and Ross County's Ronan Hale expected to be knocking on the door once his switch from the Republic of Ireland is complete.

Marshall's flexibility could be key. Though he would prefer to play through the middle, O'Neill has used him on the left of a front three in recent games.

"I got a taste of what it will feel like when I do get my first goal, especially as it was such a big game," Marshall said of that night in Copenhagen last summer.

"It was a great experience and hopefully I'll have a lot more of that to come."