Northern Ireland: Roy Carroll drafted in as goalkeeping coach for triple-header as Steve Harper is unavailable

Carroll joined Irish Premiership side Dungannon Swifts in January

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Roy Carroll has joined up with the Northern Ireland squad as goalkeeping coach for their opening World Cup qualifiers.

Carroll, who won 45 Northern Ireland caps as a player, has been drafted in by manager Ian Baraclough as regular coach Steve Harper is unavailable.

The 43-year-old was recently appointed coach of the NI U19 and U17 sides.

Baraclough's men play Italy in Parma in their opening World Cup qualifier on Thursday night.

They then have a friendly against USA at Windsor Park three days later before hosting Bulgaria at the same Belfast venue in their second qualifier on 31 March.

Carroll is joining the senior panel for the triple-header because Harper is unavailable due to commitments linked to his main job as a coach at Newcastle United.

Carroll returned to play in the Irish Premiership in January when he signed for Dungannon Swifts, after a spell playing for junior club FC Mindwell in the Mid-Ulster League.

The former West Ham, Rangers and Olympiacos keeper, who was part of the NI squad for the Euro 2016 finals, won won two league titles and an Irish Cup during three seasons at Linfield before being released in August 2019.

In February, he joined former Northern Ireland team-mate Gareth McAuley and fomer Linfield team-mate Andy Waterworth on Gerard Lyttle's coaching staff for the NI Under-19 and Under-17 sides.