My own, pledges versatile McNair
mance against Bosnia was brilliant, and we should have won the game, we were very unlucky.
“We have to go out and try and produce the same level of performance. Nine times out of 10 when you play that well you will win the game.
“If we play like we did against Bosnia, especially the first-half performance, we’ll definitely get points on the board.
“But I don’t think it would be the end of the world if we didn’t get three points. If we want to finish top of the group though then I think we need at least four points out of these two games.”
McNair, after Sunderland’s relegation from the Championship last season, was the subject of a number of bids with Premier League outfit Brighton at one time favourites to land the Co Antrim lad.
But Middlesbrough, with the club having a return to the Premier League firmly in their sights, won the battle to sign McNair.
However, he’s had to settle for a place on the bench for most of this season with new boy and international team-mate Saville being selected ahead of him in midfield. McNair now accepts that if he is to make an impact for his new club, then just like with Northern Ireland, he may have to settle for the right-back spot.
He admitted: “The game time at club level has been a little bit frustrating, but it’s a long season in the Championship, and I know I will get my chance at some point.
“In a cup game I played the first half at right-back and the second in midfield.
“I’ve also played right wingback before we switched to a flat back four, as well as right midfield.
“I think though if I’m going to cement a position at club level it will be right-back or midfield.
“These two games come at a good time for me because you want to keep your fitness levels up, and you do that by playing in games. So if I can get a couple of games here I can go back to club level raring to go.”