O’Neill keen for NI to get back into habit of winning

NORTHERN Ireland manager Michael O’Neill is determined to use the upcoming double-header against Bosnia & Herzegovina and Israel to build momentum which he hopes will lead the team to a successful Euro 2020 qualifying campaign.

O’Neill will give as many of his players as possible an opportunity to shine over the next week.

But anyone who thinks that the matches are only an exercise in getting back into the international groove would be very much mistaken.

O’Neill isn’t just looking for strong performances in Saturday’s Nations League encounter with Bosnia & Herzegovina at Windsor Park and next Tuesday’s Belfast friendly against Israel — he is targeting victories too.

That’s because Northern Ireland have won only one of their last seven fixtures — a 2-1 home success over South Korea in March secured by debutant Paul Smyth’s strike.

Prior to that disappointing run, O’Neill’s side had emerged victorious five times on the trot. That’s the type of form the manager is looking for as he aims to inspire his side once again to qualify for the European Championships as he did for the 2016 tournament.

The weekend clash with Bosnia in the second tier of Uefa’s new Nations League competition is a real test.

Like Northern Ireland, they missed out on reaching the World Cup in Russia but they have high-class players, not least captain and record goalscorer Edin Dzeko, currently with Roma, and Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic. They will come to Windsor in confident mood.

“We’ll be trying to win both games,” said O’Neill (right).

“The first one we want to win because obviously it’s a new tournament and it’s important we get off to a good start.

“I think the Bosnia game is going to be tough, they’re a good team. I looked at their World Cup qualifying group and probably one result cost them the chance of a play-off, away to Cyprus where they lost. That did the damage.

“In Dzeko they’ve got one of the top strikers in Europe and Pjanic is arguably one of the top midfield players, certainly in Serie A.

“It’s going to be a tough game for us and it’s a tough group with us up against Bosnia and Austria so we’re under no illusions.

“The fact that we’re competing at the second level of this tournament shows what we’ve managed to achieve in recent times, especially when you look at some of the countries who are

currently in the third league.

“For me the Nations League is important, to build that momentum again, to get the players focused again.

“Regarding the Israel game, it’s nice to have the friendly after the competitive game because it will then give me the opportunity to look at one or two things, one or two players, and give them game time as well.”

It is certain that one of the players occupying O’Neill’s mind will be young Norwich left-back Jamal Lewis. The 20-year-old made a promising senior debut in March against South Korea and will double