Michael O’Neill’s ‘we have to show them’ message for youth prospects after 18-year-olds called up to Northern Ireland senior squad
Michael O’Neill remains “mindful” over the development of teenagers Braiden Graham and Ceadach O’Neill but values early integration as vital to future international progress.
With June friendlies against Guinea and France offering an opportunity for the Northern Ireland boss to cast a wider net over the player pool, O’Neill’s squad this week included two 18-year-olds in Everton’s Graham and O’Neill of Arsenal.
Both have enjoyed gains at club level over the Premier League sides’ under 18s and under 21s, alongside experience around the first-team set-up.
O’Neill, understandably, accepts “it's difficult to say they're ready to be senior international players” but is excited over benefits of time in the senior camp as “we have to show them”.
"I think with these young players, it's important that we integrate them into the international senior squad as early as possible and that's what I'm trying to do,” said O’Neill. “It's difficult to say they're ready to be senior international players...we have to be mindful of that.
"They've had limited minutes at first-team level, but they're in our pathway and we have to protect that and we have to show them that route to playing for ourselves and being a senior international...that they're highly regarded within our pathway as well.
"And they don't have to play a huge amount of minutes before they get that chance.
"There are players that I could include instead of those younger players...if I'm honest, I don't feel that they're playing the club football at a high enough level that would affect the starting 11 at this minute in time.
"So, for me, the emphasis has to be on using some of the squad in terms of development...we'll continue to monitor all our players and hopefully certain players may get the opportunity to jump."
O’Neill highlighted crucial club steps forward by Bolton Wanderers’ Eoin Toal and Paddy McNair with Hull City following promotion success.
"We've already seen players like Eoin is now in the Championship…Paddy is now in the Premier League,” said O’Neill. “Some of those around maybe League Two, League One...can they get the opportunity to play higher as well?
"Players in Scotland, can they get the opportunity to play in a better club maybe within Scotland?”