Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MCAUL TO PLAY FOR
Legend Gareth tells youngsters international football will help them with their club careers
GARETH MCAULEY has told Michael O’neill’s young guns to use Northern Ireland as a springboard to the big time in English football.
The veteran defender, who made his full-time move with League Two Lincoln at the relatively late age of 24 in 2004, earned his own Premier League opportunity by chance.
Former West Bromwich Albion boss Roy Hodgson happened to be watching one of his former players Aaron Hughes during an international break in 2011 and Big G caught the eye.
The former Coleraine centre-back subsequently moved from Ipswich Town to the Baggies where he has notched up 227 appearances.
Mcauley, who won his 79th cap in Sunday’s 3-0 friendly defeat to Costa Rica, said: “International football can only help out your club careers. You can come, play here and do well.
“Going right back to when I moved to West Brom, it was because of Roy Hodgson watching two internationals.
“He was watching Hughesy, who he had worked with before, but that really got me into West Brom. It has helped me massively and it will help the other lads going forward.”
Seven players have made their debut in Northern Ireland’s last three friendlies, including four on the summer tour of Central America.
Celtic keeper Conor Hazard made his bow as a substitute against Costa Rica, while Bailey Peacock Farrell, Jordan
Thompson and Shayne Lavery earned their first caps in a 0-0 draw in Panama.
With Huddersfield Town winger Sean Scannell and Partick Thistle defender Niall Keown also poised to switch from the Republic of Ireland, several selection dilemmas lie ahead.
Mcauley, out of contract with West Brom, believes the added strength and depth augurs well for the forthcoming Nations League and Euro 2020 qualifiers.
He said: “There are a few lads who have got paperwork submitted who want to come and play and that’s great for the country going forward.
“We want to produce more players through the U21s and youth set-up. There’s a feelgood factor and the future’s bright going forward. The lads who have come in will feel comfortable the next time they are involved. There are no egos in our squad but it’s about feeling comfortable about people.”
Despite suffering a 3-0 defeat to World Cup-bound Costa Rica on Sunday, Mcauley believes O’neill will pocket positives from the 10-day tour.
He said: “Further down the line, we’re finding that these games and tours in the summer are beneficial.
“The new players get a feel for Michael, how he wants to play, how he trains and what he expects from training. All those things are real positives.”