"Speaking before the final international window of the year, Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill described the number nine jersey as one position where he was "still searching for an option". Almost three years since his return to the job, and four months before a World Cup play-off semi-final, the former Stoke City boss' selections have given the impression that, if he is set on 10 of his first-choice XI, centre-forward remains the place where he is most open to persuasion."
""I wanted to see him as a nine," continued the manager after Northern Ireland finished their Group A campaign with nine points from six games and in third place behind Germany and Slovakia. "Look, there's no secret that the nine is a problem position for us. I think Jamie has different attributes maybe from some of the other strikers. "I thought he did really well in the game. He's clever, his link-up play is good. He is a very talented boy.""
Michael O'Neill said the number nine jersey remains an unsettled position and that he was still searching for an option. Jamie Donley, 20, on loan at Stoke from Tottenham, started up front against Luxembourg and scored the winning penalty after an earlier effort was ruled out for offside. O'Neill described Donley as the best player on the pitch and praised his cleverness, link-up play and talent. Donley operates more often as a number 10 and lacks the typical physicality of an orthodox centre-forward but showed willing runs in the channels. Northern Ireland finished third in Group A with nine points.
Read at www.bbc.com
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