He is a very talented young player and I am sure he will have a great career.”
Northern Ireland’s Changing Squad Profile
Introduction
When Michael O’Neill took over as Northern Ireland manager in 2014, he had a solid core of Premier League regulars at his disposal. Fast forward seven years, and the profile of the squad has changed significantly. O’Neill is philosophical about the situation, while also sounding a note of caution.
Decreasing Number of Premier League Players
The ever-diminishing number of Premier League players was brought into sharp focus by the now-out-of-contract Jonny Evans’ Leicester City and Stuart Dallas’ Leeds United getting relegated. Bailey Peacock-Farrell just got promoted with Burnley but was their back-up keeper for most of last season, while Newcastle United left-back Jamal Lewis made just two substitute appearances in the league during 2022-23. There’s great hope for Liverpool’s Conor Bradley and Manchester City’s Shea Charles, but both hugely talented teenagers could still be some way off becoming Premier League regulars, while other younger squad members at top-flight clubs are yet to feature for their first teams.
O’Neill’s View on the Situation
O’Neill, six months into his second spell as Northern Ireland manager, was philosophical about the situation, while also sounding a note of caution. He said: “I don’t think it is getting any easier for young players and I don’t think going forward that is it going to get any easier, either, wherever they come from in the UK. It might be a few years before we have got eight or nine players in the Premier League. We might not have, but I still believe we have got the makings of a good team.” He added: “I don’t think it matters so much in terms of the general feeling around the squad. Like any manager, you want your players playing at the highest level. At this minute in time, we are somewhat challenged by that. It does go through phases and I think the only thing we can do about that is try to develop the younger players so that they have the possibility to take that route into the Premier League.”
Isaac Price as an Example
O’Neill cited the case of 19-year-old midfielder Isaac Price. O’Neill gave him a senior international debut in March and he has just moved to Standard Liege in Belgium from Everton, where he made two Premier League substitute appearances. O’Neill said: “We have got a number of young players at good clubs and whether they can take the next step will be a little bit down to how they approach it and probably where the clubs see them in the grand scheme of things. Those young players also have to deal with a lot of churn. The churn of managers all the time isn’t easy.”
Shea Charles’ Career Path
City midfielder Charles, 19, has made a major impact in midfield for Northern Ireland, winning six caps since making his debut in the Nations League last summer, and reached another career milestone by coming off the bench for his Premier League debut on the final day of the season. O’Neill said: “It’s a difficult one because you can see the talent that Man City have under their first team. Shea’s next step will be an interesting one but City are brilliant at handling their young players; I don’t think there is a club that does it better. I suppose that will be a decision for them, where they see him [Charles] in their pathway as a team.”
Conclusion
Northern Ireland’s squad profile has changed significantly since Michael O’Neill took over as manager seven years ago. While there is hope for some younger players to make it to the Premier League, O’Neill is aware of the challenges they face. He is hopeful that with development and support, these players can take the next step in their careers and reach their full potential.