Michael O’Neill has admitted his concern over Paddy McNair’s lack of game time at West Brom ahead of Northern Ireland’s Nations League fixtures against Belarus and Bulgaria.
McNair’s importance to Northern Ireland has only increased over the past 12 months with the loss of experienced heads including Steven Davis, Jonny Evans, and Stuart Dallas, with the 29-year-old one of only two remaining players, alongside Josh Magennis, who went to Euro 2016.
McNair, who scored in Northern Ireland’s 2-0 win over Luxembourg last month, signed for Major League Soccer expansion club San Diego in the summer and joined West Brom on loan until the new year, but things have not worked out as planned so far at The Hawthorns.
The defender’s only appearance to date came in the Carabao Cup loss to Fleetwood in August, and he has not even made Carlos Corberan’s matchday squad for the last four Championship games.
That has given O’Neill a potential headache going into Nations League fixtures away to Belarus – a match that will be played behind closed doors in Hungary – and at home to Bulgaria on October 12th and 15th respectively.
“It is a concern,” O’Neill told the PA news agency. “Obviously I’ve seen that from the last international game he’s not been involved in the matchday squads, so we have to assess that, how he feels and how he looks in training.
“Certainly you want players playing games or getting the opportunity to come off the bench, so him not getting that is far from ideal.”
O’Neill’s 25-man squad shows only two changes from last month, with Jamie Reid back from a leg injury to replace the sidelined Shayne Lavery, while 19-year-old goalkeeper Pierce Charles steps in for the injured Conor Hazard.
The 30-year-old Reid only made his international debut in March, scoring in the 1-1 friendly draw with Romania but, as O’Neill tries to nurture a largely young squad, his experience at club level is welcome.
“Jamie would have been in the squad in September if not for the fact he was injured at that point,” O’Neill said.
“He brought us a bit of physicality up front, a bit of mobility up front as well, and as he showed in Romania (in March) when he got a chance he was able to take it. It’s just a case of giving him the opportunity to develop.”
While Reid returns, O’Neill could be without Cambridge forward Lavery not only for these games but the final Nations League fixtures in November after he suffered another hamstring injury, having been beset by problems in his final season with Blackpool last term.
“I’m frustrated for the boy,” O’Neill said. “He’s had a terrible time with a consistent hamstring injury and I know that he’s very diligent off the park to try to protect himself against re-injury but unfortunately he’s having to deal with this again.”
But there could be an addition to O’Neill’s striking options by November with Ross County striker Ronan Hale switching allegiance, having represented the Republic of Ireland at youth level.
The 26-year-old, who has scored six goals in 10 for the Staggies since joining from Cliftonville in the summer, is still awaiting clearance from FIFA but could be an option soon.
“He’ll be under consideration,” O’Neill said. “Ronan has had a really positive start to his career in Scotland, scoring goals having made the step up from the domestic league here.
“We just have to be patient and the boy has to be patient, he knows that himself. When we started the process we knew it would not happen overnight and where we are now is no surprise. Hopefully the paperwork goes through sooner rather than later.
“He’s very keen to play and we would like the opportunity to select him.”