Isaac Price: 'Different but great' - NI youngster who left Everton for Belgium
- Published
Isaac Price scored a 90th-minute winner against Club Brugge on 8 October for his first goal with Standard Liege
Euro 2024 qualifying: Northern Ireland v San Marino |
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Venue: Windsor Park, Belfast Date: Saturday, 14 October Kick-off: 14:00 BST |
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster; live text commentary and report on the BBC Sport website; Match of the Day highlights on BBC One NI and BBC iPlayer from 22:25 BST. |
It can be tricky for a young player to flee any Premier League nest, but Isaac Price is thriving after leaving Everton - the club he joined at the age of seven.
After 13 years at Goodison Park, Price took the leap to Belgium to join Standard Liege in the summer window and the midfielder is feeling the benefits.
In his first proper steps in senior football, the 20-year-old endeared himself to his new support with a 90th-minute winner against Club Brugge.
That goal came after his first strike at international level, in September's defeat in Slovenia. After making his debut in March against San Marino, those goals for club and country were a sign of Price's development as he strides into first-team football.
"It's good. It's a lot different to what it was in England," said Price on how he is finding life in Belgium.
"I'm having to get used to living on my own and making my own food.
"The football is great. It is a lot different to England in terms of how they play and stuff but I feel like I have adapted.
"It's a great club with great fans and I'm enjoying it."
Going to Belgium was a bold choice, and one Price "definitely" feels was the right one - as it was when he picked Northern Ireland over his native England, whom he also represented at youth level.
"I feel like I was edging towards a move at the end as I wasn't getting much of a first-team opportunity at Everton, so I feel like it was the right move," he said.
"I'm getting even more of an opportunity here [with Northern Ireland] and getting to play in front of the fans here is just as good as it is at my club.
"I love coming here, there's that familiarity with the people and the players I've been with before.
"Once you get your first [goal] you just want to get even more so I'll be looking at add to that."
Northern Ireland are back in Euro 2024 qualifying action at home to San Marino and Slovenia at Windsor Park on Saturday and Tuesday, looking to get a morale-boosting win after hopes of qualification all but ended.
Price is one of a number of young players who have benefited from a crippling injury list for Michael O'Neill and he says he "loves playing under the manager".
"We have quite a lot of young players, but the young players we have got are very good players," Price said.
"It's not like we have got young players who aren't ready to play, they are definitely ready to play.
"You can see in training we are getting used to each other and there is a lot more chemistry between us. I feel with the games coming up we will definitely get some good results.
"It's looking tough for us to qualify, but we will do everything we can to win the games that we have got left.
"It's about making the fans believe in us, even for the next campaign or the Nations League."
'A positive decision'
Price made his Premier League debut for Everton away to Arsenal in the final game of the 2021-22 season
Northern Ireland manager O'Neill agrees the move to Belgium has been beneficial for Price and he hopes it can be a blueprint for other young players who are looking to break into first-team football.
"I talked to Isaac about it and I thought it was a very positive decision at this stage of his career," O'Neill said.
"Having been at a club from a very young age, Everton, it's always hard to step away from that.
"I think we have seen it a lot with players who have been in the English game, they realise it is a difficult transition to move into first-team football in the Premier League.
"European football offers an opportunity and that is something he has taken with that step. I think he has done well in the period he has been there.
"He scored the winner on Saturday and that's a big boost for him. I think it would be nice to see more of the players take that opportunity.
"The barriers to getting first-team football in England are very, very difficult and going to Europe gives you an opportunity to get that."