Sunday 17 November 2013 09:37, UK
Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill admits he has been unsuccessful in his efforts to expand the country's player pool.
O'Neill came close to adding four players from the lower divisions in England but a variety of stumbling blocks got in the way. Watford striker Troy Deeney's family link was too distant, Huddersfield's Sean Scannell has yet to commit, while Notts County's David Bell and Millwall's Liam Feeney have suffered dips in form since being identified. "We have gone down a lot of roads and made a lot of calls about players," said O'Neill. "Troy said his grandfather was from Northern Ireland and we were delighted at the thought of bringing him in but at the last minute it turned out to be his great grandfather, so he didn't qualify for us. "David Bell and Sean Scannell are two players who came through that eligibility category. If Sean Scannell said he would like to come and play for us, we would welcome him with open arms. "David indicated he would be very keen to play for us but he has had a difficult 18 months; Liam Feeney is another player I spoke to. I met him in Dublin when he was on tour with Millwall but again, he has had a difficult last 12 months. "It's not a case of just saying 'right, who is eligible?' and then bringing them into the squad. For us to bring someone in, they have to be on the up."
