Michael O’Neill expects to hand Jamie Donley his first Northern Ireland cap before the end of the season after expressing delight at securing the young forward’s switch of allegiance from England.
The 20-year-old was added to O’Neill’s squad this week even before his international clearance had come through, and he will now be in contention to feature in Friday’s friendly at home to Switzerland and next week’s trip to Sweden.
Donley has represented both England and Northern Ireland at youth level, having been born to a Northern Irish father and English mother in Antrim before growing up in England.
Jamie Donley & Kofi Balmer have been called up to our senior men's squad 👏 #GAWA pic.twitter.com/PgohnlpQfz
— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) March 18, 2025
O’Neill began a recruitment campaign last October, initially speaking to Donley’s father before a meeting with the player before Christmas, and that has now paid off with the player, on loan at Leyton Orient from Tottenham, making the decision to go with the Green and White Army earlier this month.
“It was only in the last two or three weeks coming into camp that Jamie made the decision he made,” O’Neill said. “It wasn’t a decision I had said Jamie had to make before this camp or anything like that.
“It was a decision based on the fact that we want him to be part of our squad. It’s a career decision for him to make that international transfer and we’re delighted he has made it.
“He’s a young player now out in his first season of first-team football with Orient. It’s gone well and now he’s in a senior international squad and I’ve no doubt by the end of the season he’ll be a senior international as well.”
O’Neill can sell young players on a clear pathway into the senior international side, with players like Shea Charles and Conor Bradley having become key Northern Ireland players before they had nailed down regular starting berths at club level.
The example the manager pointed to was Isaac Price, who made his international debut while in Everton’s youth set-up. In the two years since, he has moved into senior football first with Standard Liege and now West Brom, while playing in 18 of Northern Ireland’s last 20 games, scoring six goals.
“I do think as a young player there is no better example than Isaac,” O’Neill said. “Conor was already around the squad, Shea had been around it, but what we have given them is starting positions, we’ve given them a lot of responsibility and they have dealt with it well.”
Donley is one of several inexperienced faces in a squad missing the likes of Josh Magennis, Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Dion Charles. Paddy McNair, who with 78 caps is one of only two players to have more than 40, is the natural choice as captain.
𝒲𝑒’𝓋𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝓉 𝑀𝒸𝒩𝒶𝒾𝓇 🤩
— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) March 20, 2025
Paddy McNair confirmed as captain for tomorrow’s game 💚🤍 #GAWA @sandiegofc pic.twitter.com/mCUHE8clKs
The 29-year-old arrived in Belfast this week looking tanned after making the move to San Diego FC at the start of the year.
It makes the business of getting back to Belfast for international weeks much longer, but McNair said there was never any question it might mean the end of his Northern Ireland career.
“I wouldn’t have gone if it was going to impact my international career,” McNair said. “Playing for Northern Ireland has always been very special for me. I’ll definitely put on the green shirt for as long as I can.”
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