Reid recalled for Northern Ireland double-header
Reid scored only seven minutes into his Northern Ireland debut against Romania in March
- Published
Striker Jamie Reid has been recalled to the Northern Ireland squad for the forthcoming Nations League double-header against Belarus and Bulgaria.
The Stevenage forward missed the 2-0 home win over Luxembourg and the 1-0 away defeat by Bulgaria in September after being ruled out of the early part of the season with an unspecified medical condition.
Reid scored 22 goals for his club in League One last season and was on target on his senior international debut in a 1-1 friendly draw with Romania in Bucharest in March.
The 30-year-old now has four international caps to his name, the most recent earned in a 2-0 win over Andorra in June.
Michael O'Neill revealed at the squad announcement that Reid missed the early part of the season after suffering a blood clot in his leg.
The NI manager admitted he was glad to be able to call on Reid again especially in the absence of Cambridge United striker Shayne Lavery as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.
"He has had a really positive start to his international career, and he is an experienced player, O'Neill said.
"He is 30 we don't have a lot of players in the squad that age, and whilst he doesn't have the international experience, I think in the games he's played, he has looked like an experienced striker.
"I think he needs some game time at his club, but he'll have two or three games before we meet up, so it is nice to have him back."
O'Neill's side face Belarus in Hungary on 12 October and host Bulgaria at Windsor Park in Belfast three days later.
Hale still awaiting Fifa clearance
Hale has scored three league goals in seven games for Ross County since his summer switch from Cliftonville
O'Neill is also missing injured goalkeeper Conor Hazard which results in Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles, who is yet to win a senior cap, being recalled to the squad.
Stoke City midfielder Jordan Thompson and Huddersfield Town's Brodie Spencer, who were absent from the September games with injuries, also return alongside Caolan Boyd-Munce, who missed the double-header due to the birth of his son.
The NI boss also explained that Ross County's Ronan Hale has still yet to receive his international clearance after deciding to switch his international allegiance from the Republic of Ireland, who he represented at underage level, to Northern Ireland.
And whilst frustrated that he is unable to include the former Cliftonville man in this squad, O'Neill hopes that Fifa can resolve the matter sooner rather than later.
"There has been a lot of communication between me and the player, but the process is the process it is an administrative thing," O'Neill added.
"It is not something we can ask Fifa 'can you do that tomorrow for us?'. In our experience it does take a little bit of time, not just with our association but with other associations.
"It is disappointing it hasn't come through yet, but if I'm honest I didn't expect it to in this period of time, but Ronan is a player we watch now as if he is our own player."
Northern Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Birmingham City), Luke Southwood (Bolton Wanderers), Pierce Charles (Sheffield Wednesday).
Defenders: Paddy McNair (West Bromwich Albion, on loan from San Diego FC), Jamal Lewis (Sao Paulo, on loan from Newcastle United), Daniel Ballard (Sunderland), Ciaron Brown (Oxford United), Trai Hume (Sunderland), Brodie Spencer (Huddersfield Town), Eoin Toal (Bolton Wanderers).
Midfielders: George Saville (Millwall), Jordan Thompson (Stoke City), Alistair McCann (Preston North End), Conor Bradley (Liverpool), Shea Charles (Sheffield Wednesday, on loan from Southampton), Isaac Price (Standard Liege), Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers), Ethan Galbraith (Leyton Orient), Ross McCausland (Rangers), Brad Lyons (Kilmarnock), Caolan Boyd-Munce (St Mirren).
Forwards: Josh Magennis (Exeter City), Dion Charles (Bolton Wanderers), Jamie Reid (Stevenage Town), Callum Marshall (Huddersfield Town, on loan from West Ham United).