Michael O’Neill sweating on fitness of key Northern Ireland duo as World Cup qualifiers edge closer

Northern Ireland’s bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup kicks off next month against Luxembourg and Germany

Michael O’Neill is sweating on the fitness of key duo Conor Bradley and Pierce Charles ahead of next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg and Germany.

Bradley has not featured for Liverpool so far this season after picking up a hamstring injury in pre-season, and Sheffield Wednesday stopper Charles has picked up what seems to be a significant shoulder injury.

Bailey Peacock-Farrell has been recalled to the 26-strong squad after missing June’s friendlies against Iceland and Denmark as doubts persist over Charles with O’Neill hopeful he and Bradley will be fit to play some part.

“It’s not a case of being confident. I can’t be confident. We have dialogue with the clubs. The last 24 hours, the situation with Pierce has just emerged, so our medical team is speaking to Sheffield Wednesday,” said O’Neill.

“Obviously, there’s dialogue with Liverpool constantly as well with Conor. We’re two weeks out from our game, so it’s not the time to make a decision on players at this moment in time. Hopefully, both players will be available to us.

“They’re both important players to us, but at this moment in time, we just have to work on the basis that they will be available until they’re not, if that is the case.

“As I say, hopefully Conor can get minutes before we meet up on Sunday week. Obviously, Pierce has played, so it’s not a case of that for him.

“It’s just a case to see what the extent of the injury may or may not be. We obviously, as I say, the medical team are doing a great job in constant dialogue with the two clubs in question. All the clubs, to be fair, all the players are at, there’s always dialogue.”

While O’Neill would be disappointed to go into the opening World Cup qualifiers without two of his most influential stars, he was quick to point out this wouldn’t be the first time he has had to deal with injuries to key players.

“Look, I’m always disappointed when players are missing, I don’t like any of the players getting injured,” he said.

“But I’ve dealt with this in the past, you know, before we played Hungary a few years ago, or when we played Greece out here to qualify for Euro 2016.

“Jonny Evans pulled his hamstring the Saturday before that game at Crystal Palace. So I’d have preferred Jonny to be available, you know, but that’s out of the national management control.

“Those things are out of my control and I’ve learned how to deal with this and these situations. Yes, you want your squad as strong as possible, but rarely is it as strong. You know, rarely do you pick a squad and everyone is 100 per cent fit and 100 per cent ready to play.

“The focus is making the best of what you have when the players come in and to concentrate on the players that are with you rather than the players that aren’t because you can’t affect that.”