Naija, make I tell you di latest gist from di world of football. Northern Ireland no go dey di World Cup dis summer, but dem still get one big task ahead. Dem go face France for Lille on Monday night, and di French side dey use dis match as dia farewell party before dem fly go USA for di tournament.
France just suffer surprise defeat to Ivory Coast on Thursday, so dem go be di favourites to beat Michael O’Neill’s side and head off to America in style. But O’Neill no gree make im team just roll out red carpet for di hosts. E say: ‘We probably have to be a badly-behaved guest, really. Dat’s what we have to aspire to do, in terms of if we can make di game difficult for France.’
O’Neill, wey sign new contract until 2032 amid interest from Blackburn Rovers, say how France decide to send dia team off to di USA no be something dem pay too much attention to. E add: ‘It’s more about di level of di opposition, di quality wey dem get, and an opportunity for us to measure ourselves, both individually and collectively as a team, is di most important thing for us.’
Northern Ireland go field a young squad, with 75% of di players available aged 24 or younger. O’Neill say di most important thing na to see if di team go be overawed by di situation. E explain: ‘I tink di hardest thing for any player as you step through di levels of di game is having di self-belief in yourself dat you can deal wit di game at dis level, against players of dis level, and dat’s what dese games give us.’
Di squad get teenagers Ceadach O’Neill, Braiden Graham, and Kieran Morrison, wey all play for Premier League clubs but never break into senior sides. Only Trai Hume and Justin Devenny play in di top flight. O’Neill say di opportunity for those players outside Premier League to test themselves at dis level no come around often.
In di past two years, Northern Ireland don face Spain, Germany, and Italy. While Spain wey go win Euro 2024 beat dem well well, di matches wit Germany and Italy were more competitive, even if dem still lose. O’Neill say: ‘I tink di games wey we get against Spain, obviously in 2024 dem go on and win di competition, so dat may be a good omen for France. Competitively we play against Italy and Germany for qualification for World Cup 26 and on those occasions di game was in di balance. Dat’s something we should be proud of as a small nation wey no be easy team to play against.’
Di 56-year-old coach say e no go fear to use di teenagers against di 2018 World Cup winners. E ask: ‘What we get to lose by putting a young player on di pitch in dis situation? Age no be factor for me. Everyone wey dey here as part of our squad dey picked wit intention dat dem ready and available to come on di pitch if we need dem.’
Captain Trai Hume, wey rise up di football pyramid wit Sunderland after joining from Linfield, understand di growth from playing on di biggest stage. E say: ‘I tink you just get used to di level and di noise and di pressure wey e bring. You just learn to relish and enjoy it. For di ones wey never be exposed to dat type of stadium and atmosphere, wetin I go tell dem na to just be excited and go out and show wetin you fit do.’
On Thursday, Northern Ireland grind out a win after Tom Atcheson score di decisive goal, but e later get red card and go miss Monday game. O’Neill say: ‘I get no concerns about di character of my team at all. I never get, but dere are other tins for our team wey we need to develop as well. Character fit only take us so far, so di exposure to dese games fit only benefit us, to allow us see di areas individually and also as a team where we need to aspire to get to.’
For di flip side, France get stunned by Ivory Coast for Nantes, but O’Neill no believe dat performance go affect Monday match for Lille. Wit an extra game for di expanded finals for USA, Canada, and Mexico, O’Neill also expect as many players as possible to get minutes. E say: ‘Dem get to manage a tournament where dere’s an extra game. Probably more dan ever for dis tournament wey dey ahead for dem, di conditions go mean dat dem go probably get to use dia squad to di maximum. I no tink di game on Thursday night go get any bearing for how di game go go tomorrow night.’
