Northern Ireland squad to play Greece and Finland
Tuesday 29 September 2015 16:50, UK
Ryan McLaughlin has returned to the Northern Ireland squad for the forthcoming European Qualifiers against Greece and Finland.
The Liverpool right-back, who is on loan with Scottish Premiership leaders Aberdeen, missed the double-header against Faroe Islands and Hungary at the start of September.
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Fleetwood right-back Conor McLaughlin and Derby defender Chris Baird are in the squad even though both miss the Greece match on October 8.
McLaughlin has crossed the disciplinary threshold and Baird's suspension comes after his two yellow cards in the 1-1 draw against Hungary at Windsor Park.
Manager Michael O'Neill is looking to take Northern Ireland to the finals of the competition for the first time.
O'Neill said: "It's virtually the same squad. Our focus, not just in the last two games but the focus in the Romania game, given the timing of that game, preparation and timing right from the start of the campaign has been top drawer.
"So it will be the same again and I've no doubts that whatever team we put on the pitch on Thursday night in the Greece game, they'll be ready to play."
Norwich striker Kyle Lafferty will only be available for the trip to Finland on October 11, having received three bookings during the campaign, and O'Neill is also fretting over the fitness of West Brom defender Gareth McAuley
Billy McKay, on loan at Dundee United, Ross County's Liam Boyce, Josh Magennis of Kilmarnock and Wigan's Will Grigg are all pushing for a start in the first match in the absence of Lafferty, but O'Neill is keeping his options open.
O'Neill said: "It's early days yet, we're hoping he'll be involved on Saturday obviously for West Bromwich Albion, we're just liaising with their medical team, our own medical team, and 'll get a chance to chat with Gareth himself later tonight, but obviously we hope that it's nothing serious and he's going to be available.
"Obviously with the three bookings we knew that Kyle isn't going to be available, so we've watched very closely, with myself and Jimmy Nichol in particular, because three of the lads are playing in Scotland, the likes of Billy McKay, Liam Boyce and Josh Magennis, who are all playing very well and scoring, which is a good thing.
"We've watched Will Grigg, Damian Johnson has watched Will Gregg on a couple of occasions for me as well, so we've watched the strikers very closely, but I don't think it's necessarily a case of just who is going to replace Kyle.
I have no doubts that whatever team we put on the pitch on Thursday night in the Greece game, they'll be ready to play.
"I think there are other options, we could play with two up front for example, we could change the system, so those will all be driven by the personnel in terms of getting through the weekend and making sure we have as full-of-a-squad or hopefully 100 per cent of the squad that we've named.
"As I said, we'll have options and we'll see the players when they come in, but it is good the other lads are playing and that they are scoring and on good form.
Goalkeepers: Carroll (Notts Co), Mannus (St Johnstone), McGovern (Hamilton)
Defenders: Hughes (Melbourne), Baird (Derby), McAuley, J Evans (both West Brom), C Cathcart (Watford), S Ferguson (Newcastle), L Hodson (MK Dons), C McLaughlin (Fleetwood Town), P McNair (Manchester United).
Midfielders: S Davis (Southampton), C Brunt (West Brom), C Evans (Blackburn), O Norwood (Reading), P McCourt (Luton), S Dallas (Leeds), R McLaughlin (Liverpool).
Forwards: N McGinn (Aberdeen), J Ward (Nottm Forest), J Magennis (Kilmarnock), B McKay, W Grigg (both Wigan), L Boyce (Ross County), K Lafferty (Norwich).
