Northern Ireland captain detail four key elements behind rapid rise under Michael O'Neill

Northern Ireland request conscionable a constituent against Luxembourg to apical their Nations League radical and they person won six and drawn 2 of their past 10 games

Shea Charles claims helium is not amazed by Northern Ireland’s accelerated improvement implicit the past 12 months due to the fact that helium ever knew however bully their young broadside are.

The Irish request conscionable a constituent against Luxembourg connected Monday to decorativeness apical of Nations League Group C3 and crown an awesome autumn for Michael O’Neill’s kids. O’Neill, whose broadside had an mean property of conscionable implicit 23 years and 2 months successful Friday’s triumph implicit Belarus, had to fast-track his youngsters erstwhile stalwarts Steven Davis, Stuart Dallas and Jonny Evans retired.

Charles, 21, who volition skipper the Irish for the 2nd clip successful the Stade de Luxembourg, came done the ranks with the likes of Conor Bradley and Trai Hume and could spot however talented they are.

“I’ll beryllium honest, I’m not excessively amazed due to the fact that I’ve played with immoderate of these players since I was 15, 16,” said the Southampton midfielder, who is connected indebtedness astatine Sheffield Wednesday. “I deliberation it’s not excessively surprising. It mightiness beryllium to immoderate radical outside, but I’ve ever known however bully immoderate of the players are successful this team. We’re each playing astatine our clubs present and that’s truly important. We’re each coming into campy with a batch of confidence. We each spot each other. We’re a precise choky group, which is ever precise important, and I consciousness similar that shows connected the pitch.”

O’Neill’s broadside person won six and drawn 2 of their past 10 games and conceded conscionable erstwhile successful their 5 Nations League games.

Their fans are excited astir the commencement of the World Cup qualifiers adjacent twelvemonth and Charles tin recognize their positivity.

“It was ever going to instrumentality clip with a truly young team, but present we’ve gelled and we’ve managed to get goals and support cleanable sheets, which are truly important,” helium said.

“It’s hard to accidental what we tin achieve, but hopefully we tin transportation connected winning games going into adjacent twelvemonth and hopefully proceed our signifier successful the World Cup qualifiers.”

Brighton defender Ruairi McConville could marque his afloat debut contiguous due to the fact that Ciaron Brown is suspended aft getting his archetypal sensation of enactment arsenic a substitute against Belarus. McConville, 19, lone received his archetypal elder call-up for this squad due to the fact that of injuries to Paddy McNair and Eoin Toal.

The centre-half, who has yet to marque a elder quality for Brighton, is struggling to instrumentality everything successful and beamed: “It’s amazing. No-one tin hitch the grin disconnected my look astatine making my debut. There are opportunities each the time. I’ll bid good for Luxembourg and we’re each focused connected the crippled connected Monday.

“The lads got their chance, similar me, and they’re doing good to support their spot successful the squad. That’s what I privation to bash and I’m learning disconnected them. They’re truthful young, but truthful experienced already.”

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