Isaac Price has hailed the influence of Northern Ireland’s latest captain Conor Bradley, describing the Liverpool star as an “unbelievable footballer” who is only going to improve.
Bradley (21) was named as skipper on Friday by manager Michael O’Neill for Saturday’s Nations League game against Belarus in Hungary.
Former Everton player Price has a strong bond on and off the pitch with the Liverpool man, and one of the most encouraging aspects for Michael O’Neill’s team in 2024 has been how well the young guns have linked up in attacking areas.
The pair will once again be crucial in the behind-closed-doors encounter with Belarus.
Price, a regular in the top-flight in Belgium with Standard Liege, has been playing alongside Bradley on the international scene since they were both 17 and appreciates what the Anfield ace brings to the team.
“Conor is an unbelievable footballer,” said Price.
“Him playing for us is massive. You can tell that by the way he plays for Northern Ireland. I think we have got that youthfulness about us where it’s like a don’t-really-care attitude, we’ll try stuff and we’ll take risks.
“His athleticism and his quality on the ball are great for us. Obviously, the last few games, we’ve been playing together on the right-hand side, and we feel we have a pretty good relationship.
“We’ve played together since we were 17 for Northern Ireland, so I speak to him quite a lot.
“When we are playing together, there are things that can help me and things that can help him like different movements on the ball and off the ball, just to help each other and try and make each other look as good as possible.”
With Steven Davis, Stuart Dallas and Jonny Evans no longer playing for Northern Ireland, Bradley has become the poster boy for the country and has taken on more responsibility on the pitch, scoring three times in 2024.
“He’s got a lot of responsibility, really,” added Price.
“When you look at it, he’s maybe got a lot of pressure on him, he’s playing at Liverpool, he’s playing in the Premier League so when he comes here, he’s looked at as the star man.
“But he’s a top, top player, and I think as long as he’s around the top players at Liverpool and he’s playing in the Premier League, he’s only going to get better.
“I’m sure he’ll cement his place at Liverpool or at another top club.
“He could have maybe gone out on loan to a team in the Championship or League One, but he chose to stay at Liverpool and he’s a massive help for us in our games.
“Conor is playing with the best players in the world at Liverpool, so when he comes here, it’s a good opportunity for us to learn a little bit of what he’s experiencing at Liverpool.
“Because he’s playing with the likes of Mo Salah, top players who are playing week in, week out in the Premier League, he’s learning off them and we’re learning a little bit off him as well when he comes here.”