WE HAVE COME LONG WAY SINCE BAKU BEATING

OLIVER NORWOOD has hailed the progress made under Michael O’neill since Northern Ireland last visited Azerbaijan in 2013. A dismal 2-0 defeat in the penultimate game of the 2014 World Cup campaign helped deliver a frustrating fifth place finish in the group. It also left O’neill, who was just 20 months in the job, considering his future as manager. Four years later and fresh from last summer’s Euro 2016 adventure, Northern Ireland are in an altogether better place heading into tonight’s crunch showdown in Baku. The contrast hasn’t been lost on Norwood (above) who joked: “If someone had told us how far we’d come after that defeat in Azerbaijan, I think they would have been locked up! It was a difficult time. We were a squad in transition, not so much in an overhaul of players but Michael’s vision for the team. “That takes time and thank goodness the IFA stuck with Michael after the first campaign. Thankfully Michael also stuck with us. “There must have been times when he wondered if he could get the best out of us but he believed in us and his own ability. “If you’d said four years ago we’d be coming to Baku to keep second spot in the group behind Germany, we would have bitten your hand off. We’re in a good position in the pool but we have to capitalise on that now.” Norwood accepts there is “pressure” on O’neill and his players to build on a promising start to the campaign but the newly promoted Brighton midfielder added: “There is an expectancy on us now and we have to be proud of that. “We’ve all worked so hard to get into this position. The fans expect us to come here and win and that’s what we’ve created as a group. “We’ll do everything we can to win this game.”