Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill heaped praise on teen sensation Ceadach O’Neill for how he has handled “a situation which is not created by us...or the player” regarding his international future – and revealed the topic wasn’t even discussed during their meeting in London earlier this month.

O’Neill, who is still aged just 18, has recently been thrust into the spotlight with the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) approaching him to switch international allegiance and represent the Republic of Ireland.

Former Linfield youngster O’Neill made his Northern Ireland debut in June and has been included in the senior squad once again for upcoming Nations League fixtures.

O’Neill is highly-rated by Premier League champions Arsenal with the attacker named in Mikel Arteta’s matchday squad for an FA Cup clash last term before featuring for the Gunners during pre-season.

placeholder image — Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill (left) and Ceadach O’Neill after the teenager made his senior debut in June. (Photo by William Cherry/Presseye)

It’s not surprising someone of O’Neill’s immense talent has attracted attention, but behind the headlines and soundbites remains a teenager still making his way in the game.

O’Neill hasn’t yet made a senior club debut and has registered just nine Premier League 2 appearances for Arsenal’s U21s – he scored 10 goals in as many matches for their U18s last season to earn a promotion.

While at the centre of a situation not of his own making, Northern Ireland chief O’Neill insists the teen has the mentality and character to take it all in his stride.

"Ceadach’s fine,” said O’Neill. “He’s a smart boy, a very balanced boy, he's got a good head on his shoulders and a good family as well.

"It is a situation which is not created by us, it's not created by the family or the player, but I think he's handled it extremely well.

"He's a very likeable kid. He has good conversations with me, with Aaron (Hughes, Technical Director), with Andy Waterworth (IFA Director of Elite Player Development).

"What I will say is when he came into our group in June, the plan was for Ceadach to only stay for the first game because he had an exam.

"But he was only in the camp two days and he came and asked could he stay for the whole camp, he really enjoyed being in the camp.

"He’s an extremely smart boy, understands the game, understands where he is in his career and has got really good people around him as well.”

Northern Ireland boss O’Neill met with the teenager and fellow Arsenal academy prospect Daniel McCarron, who joined from Dungannon Swifts this summer, for dinner while in London to watch Shea Charles play for Fulham earlier this month.

While amongst the topics of conversation were settling into London life and their football progression, not once was the subject of international allegiances discussed.

“Honestly, we didn't speak about it,” added O’Neill. “There's no need to speak about it.

"Myself and Andy went to Fulham versus Crystal Palace, Ceadach and Daniel came over and we treated them to dinner in Chelsea...thankfully, they kept the bill down!

"It was positive because they're young players and we want to make sure they're doing well.

"Daniel's only over there, I think, six weeks maybe. He's had a big impact, played a lot in their U18s. Andy was at the U18 game in the morning.

"Ceadach’s obviously been around the first team in pre-season. Arsenal’s squad is as strong as you can get.

"When we meet the young boys, we talk about how they're getting on, how their football is, how they're developing, what it's like for them life in London because it's a big change, particularly for those two boys where they come from – Kilrea and Irvinestown to London is a big change.

"But they're coping well with it."

O’Neill and McCarron are amongst a host of young Northern Irish stars who have recently joined Premier League clubs.

Braiden Graham, who has also been included in Northern Ireland’s senior squad, has been named on the bench for Premier League fixtures at Everton while Matthew Orr and Kalum Thompson are both shining at Nottingham Forest.

Coran Madden has started the season in fine form for Brentford’s U18s and Larne goalkeeper Phoenix Blayney is set to join Arsenal ahead of next term.

Northern Ireland boss O’Neill has praised work being done throughout the Irish FA – and highlighted the continued support provided as players chase their dreams.

"Our job is to support them as much as possible and obviously try and help them on the pathway and the journey that they're on,” said O’Neill. "I think the work we do in our academy is outstanding, I don't think it's maybe recognised as well here as what it could be.

"We've players now going to a lot of Premier League clubs and they're making an impact in those age groups quite quickly.

"A lot of lads who are 17, 18 playing in the U21s, young Kalum Thomson scored the winner (on Monday night), so I think that we know our young players extremely well.

"We put a lot of time, a lot of effort into them. We just don't send them away at 16 and hope they make it – there's a lot of work that goes in after that as well to make sure and to help them because they're going into a really difficult market.

"They're going into a Premier League market a lot of the times, it's a tough market to break through and become a Premier League club.

"Most players have to leave their first club and either play their way back to the Premier League through whatever channel they get or whatever the next stage of their career is.

"Our job is to make sure they're well supported and obviously be there to help them when the difficult times come, it's never always an upwards trajectory, I know that from my personal experience as a player many years ago.

"I think it's important that we obviously show them that we're here to make sure that we support them any way we can.”