Trai Hume insists Sunderland is the right place for his development as he looks to emulate David Healy and earn his first senior cap for Northern Ireland. The Black Cats youngster has made just two appearances since signing from Linfield in January.
Nonetheless, the 20-year-old has done enough to warrant a call up to Ian Baraclough's squad for the friendlies away to Luxembourg this Friday and at home to Hungary next Tuesday, March 29. There was plenty of competition for Hume's signature, with League One rivals Lincoln City also keen on the defender.
In an interview with The Irish News, Hume said: "Whenever clubs were interested I had to think about what club was best for me. I thought Sunderland was the right choice and it is the right choice. I've been involved in most of the squads - I might not have played so much but I've always been involved. It's good, just gaining experience, and hopefully get more game-time…
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"It's a massive club, they demand high standards, demand results. It's a club that wants to win. We're sixth in the league at the minute, so hopefully we'll get into the play-offs and get promoted to the Championship."
Hume was just five years old when former Sunderland striker Healy scored a memorable hat-trick to defeat Spain in 2006. With Linfield and Sunderland already on his CV, the Black Cats youngster is hoping to follow in Healy's footsteps and add a senior cap to his repertoire.
No stranger to Winsor Park, Hume said playing in a green shirt would bee something else. He added: "That would definitely be a big difference: the stadium sold-out, it would obviously be really big, so I'd just like to get out on the pitch…
"I do remember the game against Spain, obviously with David Healy scoring a hat-trick. The Euros [2016] is probably the main thing I remember. A lot of my family went over to watch it, stuff like that, it was big for the country.
"I've been to a lot of Northern Ireland games: Germany, Holland, and so on. Being away with the Under-21s you miss some games."
Hume's rise has been nothing short of remarkable. From a loan spell away from Linfield to his hometown club Ballymena United, a move to Wearside and a potential international cap, it's been some journey.
The defender said: "As long as I play games I wouldn't mind where I play. I grew up playing centre back, then played centre mid for two, three years.
"Whenever I got the loan move to Ballymena that's when I started playing right-back. That got me the move across the water so I'm happy to play there, it's fine. I don't mind any position.
"It's just about adapting to positions, understanding the players around you. I understand centre mid, centre half, and they're the players closest to me apart from the wide [midfield] player, so that helps me."
