Northern Ireland: Competition with Conor Bradley for right-back spot a good thing - Trai Hume
- Published
Liverpool full-back Bradley has won five Northern Ireland caps after making his international debut in May
Sunderland right-back Trai Hume has said any competition between him and Liverpool's Conor Bradley for a place in the Northern Ireland team will only benefit both players.
Bradley, 18, broke into the NI squad last year and has won five caps, though is set to miss the friendlies away to Luxembourg on Friday and at home to Hungary on Tuesday through injury.
Twenty-year-old Hume, meanwhile, earned his first call-up to the senior international panel for this friendly double-header.
It capped a remarkable few months for the Ballymena native, who made the move from Irish Premiership champions Linfield to League One promotion hopefuls Sunderland in January.
While both players can also play in midfield - with Hume also having played as a central defender in the past - right-back is where they play regularly, hence the natural comparison.
"It can only benefit both of us if there is competition," Hume said.
"It will bring the better out of me and it will bring the better out of Conor, but I haven't really thought about it that much.
"If it comes to playing for the position then it will only benefit the both of us.
"As long as I play games I wouldn't mind where I play. I grew up playing centre back, then played centre midfield for two or three years.
"When I got the loan move to Ballymena United 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."
NI call-up came sooner than expected
Having only made the move to Sunderland a few months ago, Hume admitted his first senior Northern Ireland call-up came sooner than he expected - but insisted he is taking it "in his stride".
He also revealed the joy he felt when he received the call from manager Ian Baraclough, though explained that his close family were probably more excited than he was.
"Playing for Northern Ireland was obviously always in the plan, but it has come a bit quicker than I thought it would," he said.
"It's what every boy dreams of. I have got the call two months after moving across the water but I just try to take it in my stride.
"I always had confidence. When I didn't get across the water at 16, I didn't let it affect me. I thought the opportunity would come at some point and I kept going.
"I rang my mum and dad straight away [after getting his Northern Ireland call-up} and they were buzzing , then I rang my granda and he was the same. They were probably more excited than I was. I'm quite a laid back, chilled person. I don't get too excited about things but they were over the moon."
Boyd-Munce got 'goosebumps' at NI call-up
Hume joined Northern Ireland Under 21 team-mate Paddy Lane in receiving his first senior call-up when Baraclough originally named his squad for these matches, which are Northern Ireland's first since they completed their World Cup qualifying campaign with an impressive home draw against Italy.
Caolan Boyd-Munce has since been drafted in for his first senior squad experience and Hume, who featured regularly for the Under 21 side, believes there will be more players making that step up.
"We obviously see the players going up to the senior squad but you kind of keep it to yourself, you're hoping you'll be the next one but we don't really talk about it much.
"You can see how many have come up now and I'm pretty sure there will be more to come as there are a lot of good players in the Under 21s."