In Focus: Baraclough is building for the future with Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland may not be able to qualify for next year’s World Cup — but the future is looking bright for the Green and White Army.

Nine members of Ian Baraclough’s squad for this month’s internationals are 23 or under, including two teenagers and an uncapped goalkeeper.

The winds of change are sweeping through the Northern Irish national team and tonight’s home clash with Lithuania offers the perfect opportunity for experimentation.

Here is how Baraclough is starting to shape the country’s next generation of prodigious talents.

If you are good enough, you are old enough

A call-up to play for Northern Ireland is certainly not determined by your age or number of senior appearances.

Just ask Nottingham Forest starlet Dale Taylor — the 17-year-old is yet to play a league match for the Reds but could be in line for his first senior international cap at Windsor Park.

He is not alone in being handed a chance at such a young age.

Right-back Conor Bradley, 18, has made five appearances for Baraclough’s men despite never featuring in the top flight for Liverpool, while 19-year-old defender Sam McClelland — though not involved this month — is in a similar boat at Chelsea.

That experience will be invaluable as these hot prospects develop into fully-fledged stars.

Not throwing the baby out with the bathwater

With little on the line against Lithuania and Italy, who Baraclough's men host on Monday night, it may have been tempting to rest some of the national team’s more experienced players.

But Baraclough has maintained a core of veteran pros in this month’s squad, with nine players boasting at least 50 caps.

That sends a clear message to those long-serving stalwarts — that they will still have a big part to play when the 2022–23 Nations League gets underway in June next year.

It also ensures that there is strong leadership in the dressing room, to help guide the younger players through their formative steps in international football.

Maintaining continuity

The Irish Football Association (IFA) believe they have found the man to lead them through the next few years and are backing Baraclough.

Negotiations over a new contract that will cover the Nations League and Euro 2024 qualifying are ongoing, with the 50-year-old coach pleased at how things are shaping up behind the scenes.

He said: "I'm delighted that they [the IFA] see what we are trying to do and everyone is collectively working towards that.

"Performances have in the main been very good during a really rocky period. 

"These have been uncertain times for everybody but I think we have navigated the ship very well."

The ex-Motherwell boss added: "Young players are now coming through, the future is bright and hopefully we can see the fruits of our labours in the next few years."

Northern Ireland DNA

Hopes are high that the Belfast-based JD Academy will help maintain Northern Ireland’s production line of talent in the coming seasons.

The UEFA-endorsed set-up is tasked with developing some of the country’s brightest stars, headed up by veteran Irish League striker Andy Waterworth.

Speaking about how the academy are looking to implement a Northern Irish footballing DNA, he said: "It is certainly our aim to develop players more technically with more pitch time and more contact time in possession of the ball, but we still need to celebrate the DNA of a Northern Ireland player.

"If we profile a player like Steven Davis or Ethan Galbraith, who will be playing centre midfield, then they have to be technically good otherwise you can't connect the play.

"If we profile a full-back such as Conor Bradley then he has to be athletic, aggressive, quick and fit."

Ready for Euro 2024

Former manager Michael O'Neill’s achievements with the Green and White Army will go down in history.

The current Stoke boss transformed Northern Ireland during his eight-year tenure, taking them to their first major tournament in 30 years and reaching the round of 16 at Euro 2016.

But now it is the turn of a new generation to make some memories of their own.

It will be a few years until Baraclough’s squad come of age, but the building blocks are in place to make a splash at Euro 2024.