Michael O’Neill believes that Ronan Hale can be a game changer for Northern Ireland after calling the Ross County striker into his squad for the first time.
Hale is set to make his senior international debut in next Friday’s friendly at home to Switzerland and could also play away to Sweden on March 25 having gone through the lengthy process of a Fifa international transfer from the Republic of Ireland who he played for at Under-19 and Under-21 level.
The 26-year-old, whose goals won Cliftonville the Irish Cup last year before his move to the Scottish Premiership, is an exciting addition to O’Neill’s young side.
“The thing I notice about Ronan out of all our strikers, and possibly Callum Marshall would come into this category, he’s capable of scoring a goal out of nothing,” said O’Neill at Tuesday’s squad announcement.
“I’ve seen some of the goals he’s scored in Scotland and I saw the goal he scored in the Irish Cup Final here last year when he cuts in and scores from distance.
“He’s one of those strikers that has moments in him and has the ability to change games with moments. That’s what he will bring.
“There are still aspects of his play he needs to work on like his hold-up play but he works hard and his work rate is good. He will want to prove himself and with that hopefully will come a real hunger as well.”
The process for Hale to switch allegiance has gone on for months with O’Neill, not for the first time, questioning the policy surrounding a case like this.
“The way the international transfer works, the rules aren’t the best rules because I think the decision players make at underage level shouldn’t be binding,” said O’Neill. “Ronan had the option to come back and play for Northern Ireland as he’d not represented us and he’s taken that opportunity.
“It was important for the player. His indication was made quickly that he wanted to go through the international transfer.
“I’m not in control of the speed at which that happens, and the Association aren’t either, so it was frustrating for Ronan because it would have been good to have him involved in last year’s games in September, October, November. It didn’t happen, so when we got clearance in January this was the first opportunity we had to pick him.
“He deserves his place, he’s scored 12 goals since going back into full-time football from the domestic League. He’s a boy looking to make up for lost time, he was highly-rated at Birmingham (as a youth) and it’s going to be good to see him first-hand and get to work with him.”