Romania v Northern Ireland: O'Neill positive but expects 'a couple of difficult nights'

The average number of caps in Michael O'Neill's squad is just 17.5, with an average age of 24.4

"There will maybe be a couple of difficult nights along the way but that is all part of the process.

"But the most important thing is that we develop a team that can be together and compete at international level for a long period."

Michael O'Neill has spoken many times about the long-term nature of his second tenure as Northern Ireland manager.

After losing senior player after senior player in an injury-hit Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, he has had little choice but to "accelerate" younger players into his set-up.

While it has led to short-term pain - the opportunity to qualify for the Euros from a group lacking any of Europe's heavyweights was missed - O'Neill's objectives have switched and his focus is on the future.

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With 2026 World Cup qualifying looming after the Nations League begins in September, the former Stoke City boss is hopeful that friendlies away to Romania and Scotland will be the next step on the journey for his team.

Both of March's opponents have qualified for the Euros next summer - Romania were unbeaten while Scotland finished ahead of Norway to get through - and Northern Ireland are without the now-retired Steven Davis and Craig Cathcart along with the injured Jonny Evans, Stuart Dallas, Corry Evans and Shane Ferguson.

The average number of caps in Michael O'Neill's 28-strong squad is just 17.5, with an average age of 24.4. In fact, Josh Magennis (33) and George Saville (30) are the only players aged 30 or over.

"This is about building a team from a very young player base," O'Neill added.

"It is about keeping the older players we have engaged and making them feel valuable, which they are, and hopefully see these younger players adapt to international football and accelerate quite quickly. We are asking a lot at times.

"If you look at us in the game against Denmark [a 2-0 win in their final qualifier], which was a positive result for us, I think we had four or five under-21 players on the pitch and we had four players who play their club football in League One. All of those are factors in terms of what level the team can get to.

"We're positive about what lies ahead but it is quite difficult to accelerate the process, it is about building the experience and hopefully each experience is another positive for them."

Togetherness and culture are key

O'Neill admits it is a "different challenge" that requires a "different approach" than with his heroic Euro 2016 squad from his first time as manager, but he is embracing the youthful make-up of the current group.

He says the culture of his squad, 15 of whom are aged 25 or younger, only adds to his optimism about the future.

"The big thing about any team is how the players are with themselves. The great thing about this group is they all know each other from a really young age and you can see that in terms of how they are each other around the hotel.

"They spend a lot of time together, which I think is good, and they are friends from when they are 14 or 15 years of age.

"They have been involved with Northern Ireland through younger ages. Some of them probably skipped an age group or two to be involved with the senior internationals now.

"In terms of what we have, togetherness and culture within a group, I think that is automatic and inherent in this group.

"What we have to find on top of that is find our identity and style of play as a team and that is what we are continuing to work towards."

With Daniel Ballard, Jamal Lewis and Ross McCausland missing the trip to Romania, many of the youth in O'Neill's squad are set to be handed a further opportunity against the in-form Romanians.

O'Neill describes the friendlies as "valuable" as he looks to give his players more experience on the international stage.

"We are trying to get to a point where the squad is a wee bit more robust with more options in more areas," he added.

"The key way to do that is either find players through eligibility or bring players through. In the next 12 to 24 months you will probably see future players accelerated through to the senior team that little bit quicker."

Everyone may be looking ahead, but the future is now for Northern Ireland.