NI already looking forward to Nations League - Spencer

Northern Ireland's next game will be at home to Luxembourg on 5 September

Brodie Spencer says Northern Ireland are now "expecting to do good things" in the Nations League this autumn.

A pair of Conor Bradley goals saw the side past Andorra in Tuesday evening's friendly, with last week's loss to Spain the only reverse among their past five internationals.

Michael O'Neill's men, who did not qualify for Euro 2024, will play Luxembourg, Belarus and Bulgaria home and away in Nations League C between September and November.

Northern Ireland have won just once in 16 Nations League games since the competition was introduced in 2018, but Spencer is anticipating a better campaign this time around.

"We've a very good, exciting group and we're all expecting to do good things in the Nations League," said the Huddersfield Town defender.

"It's a very tight group, a lot of young players coming through who have been playing together since they were 15 years old.

"The main thing is to nail down and focus on the small things and keep growing as a group."

With the Andorra fixture preceded by the 5-1 defeat to Spain in Palma, Northern Ireland's players spent 13 days together in a camp outside Murcia with Spencer pleased to end the almost two-week stint with victory.

"I think it was good to get a positive performance from the group," he said of the fixture played in front of around 400 spectators.

"The game can be quite hard when it's slow paced, not much from the crowd.

"It was down to us to create the tempo and create chances, which we did, so we're pleased."

Although Bradley's goals grabbed the attention, Spencer was one of Northern Ireland's better performers in the Estadio Nueva Condomina and he enjoyed linking up with the Liverpool man down the right side.

"Conor Bradley is going to go on and be one of the best players in the world," added the 20-year-old.

"The season he's had, he's been unbelievable, so to be able to play with him is so good. It's such a relief for me to have him, he's always supporting me in difficult situations."

'I think he has a massive future'

The game against Andorra was Spencer's ninth international cap after making his debut under previous boss Ian Baraclough against Cyprus in June 2022.

"Brodie hasn't disappointed yet," said manager Michael O'Neill.

"He's maybe not as polished as Conor is but he'll continue to get better. He's played a lot of football this season and he'll continue to develop and grow. Brodie this time last year had just came out of the under-19s, he skipped the under-21s, but he looks ready to play.

"He's a man. He can defend, he backs himself, he's got great pace. I think he has a massive future."

Spencer played left wing-back for Northern Ireland in March

With Sunderland's Trai Hume having enjoyed a strong season in the Championship, O'Neill has real depth for his right-sided options moving forward.

In March games against Romania and Scotland, Spencer played left wing-back, while O'Neill talked on Tuesday evening about playing Bradley on the right side of a midfield three.

At only 22-years-old, Hume is the oldest of the trio.

"In March, we asked [Spencer] to play on the left-hand side. In those games, he was terrific.

"There's a lot of options and the system we play, we could play all three in that system no problem at all.

"Brodie loves defending. If you've got that sort of player behind you, for Conor or Trai, it gives you that security and allows them to go forward.

"He's another player who had a great camp."