Euro 2024 qualifiers: Northern Ireland's Michael O'Neill upbeat despite injuries

O'Neill has not been able to call upon captain Steven Davis (left) or Stuart Dallas, with both players recovering from serious injuries

Manager Michael O'Neill remains upbeat about injury-hit Northern Ireland's chances of "making an impact" in Euro 2024 qualifying.

Northern Ireland are without several key players including Steven Davis, Corry Evans and Stuart Dallas.

O'Neill's side travels to Denmark on 16 June before hosting Kazakhstan three days later.

"We are a little bit inexperienced at this time with the players we have unavailable to us," said O'Neill.

Northern Ireland opened their qualifying campaign with victory away to San Marino but a home defeat against Finland leaves O'Neill's side fifth in the group as they look to reach the finals of a tournament for the first time since Euro 2016.

O'Neill - who returned for his second stint as manager in December following Ian Baraclough's departure - hopes the younger players in his squad can step up during June's double-header in the absence several experienced campaigners.

"We will have to go through the games in June with the same challenge," added O'Neill.

"Josh Magennis and Conor Washington are both injured, Shane Ferguson will be injured, they've all had surgery.

"So unfortunately we may lack experience in some areas but we do have good young players. We saw that with Shea Charles, Dale Taylor, Isaac Price, Conor Bradley, Trai Hume - they're all players now that are going to push to be starting players.

"Hopefully they'll be ready to deal with that. But I still believe we're capable of making an impact in the group. These two games in June are obviously where we must try to maximise the points we can get."

When asked if he is confident his squad has the quality to deliver results against Kazakhstan and Denmark, the former Stoke City manager said: "Yes of course, but I have to approach it like that.

"If you ask me would I like to have Dallas, Davis and Evans fit, of course - naturally. But we've had to go without some of those players in the first phase of the campaign.

"Look, we've got a home game against Kazakhstan and probably the most difficult game, pot one away to Denmark.

"But June is a difficult month for all the countries and results are achieved that people maybe don't expect to see - hopefully we can get a result people don't expect us to get."

'We need players at the highest level'

Lee Bonis has been included in Northern Ireland's upcoming training camps in England after an impressive season with recently crowned Irish Premiership champions Larne

O'Neill has included Irish Premiership players Lee Bonis and Conor McMenamin for two upcoming training camps in England before June's qualifiers.

While Glentoran winger McMenamin earned three caps last year, uncapped striker Bonis has been given the chance to impress after he helped Larne to their first Irish Premiership title.

"Lee's had a very good season at Larne," said O'Neill, who has been training the Northern Ireland Under-21s in Belfast this week.

"They won the league so he's in a good place. There's a lot of speculation and interest about him. I've had conversations with different people at different clubs and it's good for me to get my eyes on him to see him first-hand.

"Conor's had an injury-hit season, but I think towards the end of the season he was back to where he was in the early part of the season so it's a good opportunity for both lads."

Asked if he would like to see McMenamin, Bonis and more Irish League players move to England, O'Neill said: "Of course - not just for selfish reasons, but we need players playing at the highest level they can.

"If you look at our squad now, Championship, League One, very few players in the Premier League. And the Scottish Premiership, that's where we're picking our players from - so if we can get more players into that level of football it'll give us better numbers.

"There are players in the Irish League that are capable of stepping up. We've seen that in the past with Dallas and Gareth McAuley, who came out of the Irish League and have had brilliant careers in England, so hopefully more Irish League players can get the opportunity."

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