Northern Ireland: Manager Baraclough calls for patience as young players come through
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Centre-back Ciaron Brown's header was the closest Northern Ireland came to scoring in Dnipro
Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough says patience is required as a number of his side's promising young players find their feet in international football.
Centre-back Ciaron Brown, 23, and 21-year-old Daniel Ballard impressed playing either side of the experienced Craig Cathcart in Northern Ireland's 1-0 friendly defeat by Ukraine.
Cardiff's Brown came closest to an equaliser for the visitors, forcing a smart save from Heorhiy Bushchan with a powerful header.
"You do have to have a good bit of patience," said Baraclough, whose attentions will now turn to the 2023 World Cup qualifiers which begin away to Lithuania on 2 September.
"We can't just expect that these young players come in and hit the ground running, and suddenly are at a level where it has taken years for Jonny (Evans), Craig and Stuart Dallas to be.
"Ciaron is a player that's developing very nicely. Alongside Jonny and Craig, and with Dan Ballard there, I think there's four very good centre halves looking to play in two or three places."
Along with the two young centre-backs, 21-year-old midfielder Ali McCann was also in action as Baraclough looks to inject youth into a squad that has been relatively settled for a number of years.
Having secured a win over Malta prior to the season-ending meeting with Ukraine, the manager is hopeful that the games have given his younger players an opportunity to bed further into the squad before the World Cup qualifying campaign.
"We're seeing one or two in different positions as well, so we're asking them to go and do something that's they're not used to.
"But that's something we need to do to asses where we are. There might be times where you're asking a player to go and fill in for 15 minutes at the end of the game; you've got to know whether they can do it or not.
"A lot of players have done themselves a world of good on this trip. Ciaron along with Ali and Dan, there were tired bodies out there after a long season and they've done themselves proud."
"I can't fault the players for effort; they're shattered, it's been a long double-season if you like. They've gone to the well once more and have gained a lot of respect from me and the staff for the effort they've put in.