Hall ready to cancel holiday for chance in Euro squad

Teen has already booked to go to France

IS passport is set aside, the Euros have been exchanged and the French phrasebook is already being dusted off. Now all Ben Hall hopes to do is swap the family football trip of a lifetime for a place in Northern Ireland’s heroic squad for Euro 2016.

The Motherwell centre-half has been an ever-present in the Ladbrokes Premiership side’s defence ever since he was thrown in back in November by manager Mark McGhee. Since then, the 19-year-old from Enniskillen has won over a host of admirers for his mature performances.

As a Northern Irishman, Hall has been captivated by the rise of the country’s national team over the last couple of years, culminating in their qualification for this summer’s European Championships in France.

So much so, that the teenager and his family are already booked up to travel across the channel and follow Michael O’Neill’s team from the stands. But given how he has performed in claret and amber and for Northern Ireland’s Under-19s, Hall has not given up hope that his dream of swapping his scarf for a pair of boots is beyond him.

“You never know, I don’t know if people are watching or not but I’m just concentrating on playing for Motherwell and whatever happens, happens,” he said. “If I get called up then brilliant but we’ll see.

“I’m going anyway, I’ve got tickets for the last two games against the Ukraine in Lille and Germany in Paris. Everything is booked and I’m going with my family – but I’d happily cancel those plans to be part of the squad. I was away with the Under-19s in November and we’ve got the next round in March, so that’s coming up soon.”

What started out as a natural transition to first-team football has become a baptism of fire for Hall in recent weeks. Thrust into a Motherwell team on an unbeaten run, the wheels soon came off last month when Hearts scudded them 6-0 at Tynecastle to bring that run to a halt.

As it transpired, it coincided with the teen’s 19th birthday as he was forced to deal with the most sobering of presents. It is to his credit he has dealt with that setback and can look at it as a benefit in the early stages of his footballing education.

“It’s been a great experience. In fact, it was almost like a dream start until I was brought crashing down to earth by that 6-0 defeat at Tynecastle,” said Hall.

“However, it was great to get that win against Dundee United on Tuesday because it pushed us a few places up the league. That gave us a bit of breathing space.

“What made it even worse was the fact it happened on my 19th birthday, which became the worst I’ve ever had.

“Understandably, I was in no mood

The defeat by Hearts happened on my 19th birthday which made it the worst I’ve ever had