Northern Ireland: 'Chance for players to move from stop-start and in-out to win, win'

In one way, Northern Ireland's friendly defeat by Hungary in March was just that - a defeat in a friendly. In another, though, it was somewhat more damaging.

There has been a stop-start feel to results for the team amid extremely challenging circumstances since manager Ian Baraclough took over almost two years ago, but victory over the Hungarians at Windsor Park could have helped bring a more upbeat tone to the general narrative.

Missed opportunities has been a recurring theme under Baraclough, and that match was another.

Victory would have made it three wins and a draw from their last four matches, with the draw being a fairly euphoric one against European champions Italy. Even a draw against Hungary would have made it a four-match unbeaten run, which would have been the longest they had gone without losing under Baraclough.

Instead, what was a fairly flat performance - until a late attacking flurry in the closing stages - added an 'L' to a sequence of results that has seen periods of positivity followed by disappointment.

It began with that brave and uplifting Euro 2020 play-off semi-final penalties win in Bosnia, when Baraclough's two substitutes scored crucial spot-kicks having just come on, only for a crushing loss in the final against Slovakia a month later.

The Green and White Army then had a six-match wait for their next win, with a scoreless draw at home to Bulgaria during that run meaning qualification for the 2022 World Cup was already an unlikely possibility after just their second qualifier.

A 3-0 friendly victory over Malta last May was much-needed if not spectacular, bringing Baraclough's first win in 90 minutes, but again that relative high was followed a few days later by a 1-0 friendly loss to Ukraine.

The next window, in September, delivered Baraclough's first unbeaten run that included an impressive qualifier win in Lithuania and friendly victory in Estonia before a scoreless draw against Switzerland at Windsor, in which Northern Ireland's performance was a lot more heartening than the result was for their World Cup fortunes.

Come October, however, the up-and-down rhythm was visible again with crushing defeats in Switzerland and Bulgaria that extinguished Northern Ireland's lingering World Cup hopes. Then the campaign ended on that November high with a home win over Lithuania and that draw with the Italians.

Five months on, the growing momentum was built upon by a 3-1 win in Luxembourg before it was stunted again by the 1-0 home defeat by Hungary.

Going backwards to go forwards?

And so we arrive at the Nations League. It's the Nations League, but not as Northern Ireland know it as they are preparing to play in the third tier for the first time in what is the third time the competition has been staged.

Relegation from the second tier last year was a disappointment, for sure, but it leaves Baraclough and his players looking at a fixture list consisting of six winnable encounters that could breathe some sustained momentum into his tenure. Even with such a young squad and a hectic schedule of four matches in 10 days.

Home and away games against Greece, Cyprus and Kosovo - starting with the visit of Greece on 2 June - represent the best opportunity the former Motherwell boss has had to string a successful run of results together.

To do that, though, Northern Ireland will need to drastically improve their fortunes in a competition in which they have continually struggled since its inception in 2018.

Northern Ireland's record across the first two Nations League campaigns reads played 10, lost eight, drawn two and won none. With six goals scored and 18 in the conceded column.

Denied what looked like a stonewall penalty in the first minute of their first match at home to Bosnia-Herzegovina, a team managed by Michael O'Neill went on to lose 2-1 - a result which set a depressing tone that has lingered in Nations League ever since.

Another new name on the Baraclough coaching ticket

Aidy Boothroyd has joined Baraclough's coaching team for this international window

A major feature of Baraclough's time as Northern Ireland manager has been the number of new, mostly young, players that he has introduced to international football - something that, quite rightly, has earned him praise from many quarters. And that has again continued with this current squad.

However, while blooding young players and swelling the depth of his squad has been discussed a lot, the regular changes to the make-up of Baraclough's coaching team have flown somewhat under the radar in terms of commentary.

There are a range of reasons for it, which are out of the manager's control, but it would be hard to argue for many positives to the players having to get used to working with so many different coaches.

Baraclough seems quite relaxed the situation, simply explaining that most of the coaches have "day jobs" at clubs, meaning their situations can change quite dramatically and that change is inevitable.

Former Northern Ireland fans' favourite Damien Johnson, Austin MacPhee and Steve Harper are among those who have left the set-up, with former international goalkeeper Roy Carroll, ex-Aston Villa and Celtic striker Tommy Johnson and current Leicester City first-team coach Adam Sadler coming in along the way.

However, Sadler missed the trips to Bulgaria and Switzerland, and is also not available for this intense Nations League quadruple-header, leading to another new face - ex-Watford and England Under 21 manager Aidy Boothroyd - being added to the ranks in a temporary appointment for this camp only.

There is absolutely no denying the coaching pedigree of a man who has managing in England's top flight on his CV, but it does beg the question as to how the players might feel about the fluid nature of Baraclough's coaching ticket.

It's a coaching ticket, though, that will be looking forward to four matches that represent a chance for a young squad to move from stop-start and in-out to win, win.