Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill expressed positivity regarding the inclusion of forward Ronan Hale after his international transfer from the Republic of Ireland. Hale, now 26, has made an impressive mark in the Scottish Premiership with Ross County, scoring 12 goals since his arrival. With upcoming friendlies against Switzerland and Sweden, O'Neill aims to assess younger talent like Hale, Dale Taylor, and Lee Bonis, opting to leave out seasoned striker Josh Magennis. O'Neill emphasized the importance of squad transition while acknowledging the contributions of excluded experienced players.
O'Neill mentioned: "Ronan has gone back into full-time football, having been at Birmingham at a young age, come back and had an impact in the domestic league."
O'Neill explained the squad choice, stating: "I've not brought Josh on this squad because to bring Josh away at this stage of the season and not to utilise him wouldn't be the right thing for him."
#ronan-hale #northern-ireland-football #international-transfer #michael-oneill #world-cup-qualifying
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