Michael O’Neill praised the attitude of Conor Bradley after the Liverpool man put in another star performance in Northern Ireland’s 2-0 Nations League win over Luxembourg.
Paddy McNair and Daniel Ballard got the goals inside the opening 17 minutes, but it was Bradley who provided the most constant threat down the right-hand side.
The Liverpool man won the free-kick from which Ballard doubled Northern Ireland’s lead and created more chances for Northern Ireland to add to their lead which they were unable to take.
Bradley’s performances in a Northern Ireland shirt have put him in the spotlight at a young age, but it is something he seems to savour.
“He’s just turned 21, he’s a terrific player, and the attributes are there for everyone to see,” O’Neill said. “Conor will go to a very, very high level in the game. It’s game time that he needs and he’s at a club where that’s not easy to get.
“But when he comes here he embraces it.”
Jonny Evans’ international retirement adds to the loss of the experience of Steven Davis and Stuart Dallas in the last year, but Northern Ireland now have a young, hungry team and momentum after wins over Denmark and Scotland in the last 10 months.
The win over Luxembourg also brings something new in that they have, for the first time, enjoyed a positive start to a Nations League campaign, with this only their second win in 17 in the competition.
“I think we have momentum and confidence is growing,” O’Neill added. “A lot of these lads came into international football and didn’t win many games at the outset, but now they have that winning feeling.
“Especially (at Windsor Park), it is always nice to come back and play here. You see what it means to them in the dressing room.
“I said to them that many of them will have long international careers so it is nice to win. There are always periods where you play for Northern Ireland during difficult times and you don’t win. The best players have always had to do that.
“So it is nice they are winning international games so early in their careers.”
McNair’s opener came from a long throw from Ciaron Brown. Ballard fought for the flick on and the ball fell for McNair to fire in from close to the penalty spot.
The second was a well-worked free-kick, with George Saville playing a low ball to the near post where Ballard flicked it in.
“We had good control of the game and capitalised on set pieces,” O’Neill added. “We spent a good hour plus this morning with the players and in the analysis room. It is something we need to improve on and I think we did that tonight.
“The delivery was very good and how we attacked the ball was good.
“I felt in the second half we allowed the tempo to drop a little bit, which is natural. We still had a threat and never looked like conceding.
“We maybe looked a bit leggy in the second half which is natural because some of the players haven’t played many minutes…
“We did have other chances we probably should have scored more, but a clean sheet and two goals is pleasing. You have got to be happy with that.
“It is important to get a win in the opening game. The other game was a draw so it gives us something. If we get a result in Bulgaria then it will put us in a decent position.”
