Terry Devlin (right) is eager to win his second Northern Ireland cap against Sweden on Tuesday nightTerry Devlin (right) is eager to win his second Northern Ireland cap against Sweden on Tuesday night
Terry Devlin (right) is eager to win his second Northern Ireland cap against Sweden on Tuesday night
Terry Devlin is hoping to test himself against one of the hottest strikers in Europe on Tuesday after making his Northern Ireland debut in Friday’s 1-1 friendly draw with Switzerland.
The 21-year-old came off the bench in the 75th minute of the match to make a long-awaited debut, having first been called into the senior squad in November 2023 but facing a battle to get into his preferred position at right-back given the options Michael O’Neill usually has there.
“Obviously everyone wants to play for their country when they are a young kid, and to be able to do that was unbelievable,” the Portsmouth defender said.
“It’s been a tough squad to get into, which is only good for the country. I’m in the same position as Conor (Bradley) and Trai (Hume) and they are two really good players.
“Obviously it’s going to be tough but I just have to keep working hard.”
Northern Ireland now head to Stockholm to face Sweden in another friendly on Tuesday, and Devlin is hoping to get another chance and come up against Newcastle’s in-demand Alexander Isak, part of a powerful Swedish attacking unit.
“You always want to play against those types of players and test yourself against them,” he said. “I’m buzzing and really looking forward to that.”
His attitude is typical of this young Northern Ireland squad. Experience is thin on the ground but Friday’s performance showed they do not fear higher-ranked opposition.
Asked if he had been nervous before making his debut, Devlin said: “No, not really. I think playing in the Championship has taken that out of me, so thankfully I wasn’t too nervous coming on.
“I think all the lads have benefited from playing regular men’s football and gaining experience from that.
“We’re a really young squad and we’re not going to be the finished product yet, but if we can keep improving in every international campaign, we will keep getting better.
“Switzerland are a top nation. They qualify for most tournaments and for us to go toe-to-toe and we maybe could have won if we’d taken a chance or two, but getting a good result like that is something we can really build on as we go towards the World Cup qualifiers.”
Although Devlin, who left Glentoran for Pompey in 2023, primarily plays as a right-back, he is also comfortable in midfield. Given the competition he faces with both Bradley and Hume in O’Neill’s squad, that could be key for him in nailing down a regular place in the years to come.
“Being versatile definitely helps and I think I’ve shown how versatile I am at Portsmouth as well,” he said.
“I’ve played in a number of different positions and if that’s what gets me into the Northern Ireland squad as well and future squads then long may that continue.”