Michael O'Neill visits Northern Ireland academy as teenagers enter senior squad

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill has visited the IFA JD National Academy at Campbell College as young players continue to feature in his senior international squad. Speaking to BBC Sport NI, O'Neill described regular contact between national-team staff and the academy, including monthly updates on its players and their possible next steps into professional football.

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The visit followed Northern Ireland's goalless home draw with Hungary on Monday and a 1-0 victory in Georgia the previous Friday. Teenagers Ceadach O'Neill, Tom Atcheson, Braiden Graham and Kieran Morrison are in the squad for the current international window. Patrick Kelly, 21, and Terry Devlin, 22, are also competing for regular involvement with the senior side.

The residential academy is designed for 24 players at under-15 and under-16 level. Its programme combines football development with classroom education and life skills, while giving teenagers experience of living away from their families. O'Neill said the aim was to prepare players for opportunities in England or Scotland, where moving clubs can also mean adapting to unfamiliar coaches and surroundings.

Glenavon player Bailey Magee, 16, told the BBC that school fills most of his day before gym work and training, with further schoolwork in the evening. He said international trips had helped him adjust to time away from home, although returning after Christmas with his family could be difficult. His options after the academic year include further study or a full-time football academy at a club such as Linfield or Larne.

Fellow academy student Kayson Braniff, a 15-year-old Linfield player, also emphasised education, saying his father had stressed the need for qualifications if a football career did not develop. Both players' accounts reflected the academy's combination of sporting preparation and schooling, with a professional contract remaining an ambition rather than a guaranteed outcome for those in the programme.

O'Neill said Northern Ireland were now benefiting from introducing some players to senior international football earlier than their club experience might have suggested. He also linked a clear route through the national setup to building player loyalty, while acknowledging that young footballers must make decisions about both their clubs and international futures. He said the pathway should be open to players from every part of the community.