Regardless of the challenges of adjusting calendars, O'Neill believes his squad depth will enhance in coming years due to his senior squad's potential for development and people already performing effectively in underage panels.
Whereas O'Neill's success in his first spell was constructed round a veteran core of gamers akin to Johnny Evans, Steven Davis, Gareth McAuley and Aaron Hughes, his present squad is led by a gaggle solely within the early phases of their careers.
Citing Pierce Charles going from the Below-19 European Championships to the senior aspect's primary in solely a matter of months throughout 2024, O'Neill has additionally been enthused by the progress made by the likes of Arsenal's Ceadach O'Neill, George Feeney of Tottenham, Chris Atherton at Chelsea and under-21 captain Michael Forbes, who's on mortgage at Northampton City from West Ham.
“I used to be attempting to maintain Johnny, Davo, McAuley and Hughes enjoying so long as they might. If I may wheel three of them out in Slovakia [next week] I might do it with none hesitation,” he laughed.
“I believe with this crew, it is totally different as a result of this crew is simply going to get higher. I've no doubts about that.
“I all the time felt with the earlier crew it was about retaining it collectively however after I take a look at this group of gamers and I see what we have now beneath it, I might anticipate hopefully within the subsequent two to 3 years that these boys are stepping by to play senior worldwide soccer as effectively in the best way that Shea Charles and Conor Bradley and Isaac Value have been at 19 years of age.”
