Stephen Baxter insists it’s an ‘absolute joy’ to manage in Europe as he tips an Irish League team to make the group stages of European competition in the near future

No team north of the border has ever qualified for the group stage of a European competition, however, Linfield were within a matter of seconds of doing it last year before suffering a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat to Latvian side FK RFS.

The Hatchetmen will be in the Europa Conference League qualifiers next season after their Irish Cup success against Ballymena United last weekend and Baxter acknowledged the lure of European football can help bring players to Seaview in the summer transfer window.

"If you win the league, with how it works you get the better chances of qualifying for the group stage," he said.

"I guess somebody from the league will do it soon.

“I think if you win your first round game, you get a bite at a single game further down the track to get into the group stages.

"I think the European adventure has become something our players just adore.

"I've been talking to players around joining us in the future and that is something that is high on their priority list is to say 'we want to play in Europe'.

"It's a real key motivator.

"This is something we all think is a privilege of doing to go to countries and prepare, whereas some Premier League clubs don't get that chance and we get to do it."

Crusaders beat Bruno's Magpies from Gibraltar in the first qualifying round of the Europa Conference League last year, before losing out to Swiss giants FC Basel in the next phase despite drawing 1-1 at Seaview.

However, as he prepares to take his side into European competition for the 13th time as Crusaders manager, Baxter acknowledged that getting notable scalps in Europe can help set his side up to tackle the domestic scene when the Sports Direct Premiership gets underway in August.

"We've been able to qualify for Europe now 13 times during my time here and sometimes we've had to do it twice if we've won a round, so we've done that a few times," he added.

"It's just been an amazing experience, we get that time to bond with each other, the players are relaxed with each other and it really pulls everyone together.

"For me, Europe is the pinnacle for any footballer's football career when these guys are getting to play in it, and for me to manage them, is an absolute joy.

"To go to FC Basel was just up there in that stadium and our team was so good.

"People maybe don't give you that much credit for what you do in Europe, we drew with Basel at Seaview and they are now currently in the semi-final of that competition.

"That has given us great motivation this year to say we aren't frightened of anybody, we will play anybody because we think we can do well, so that's what Europe does for you."