Northern Ireland striker's debut delight after switching from Republic: ‘I'm hungry for more now'

Belfast Telegraph

a day ago

Leaving Windsor Park on Tuesday, the sense was that the Ross County striker deserved to stay in the panel for the crunch double header away to Luxembourg and Germany.
The 26-year-old was unlucky to hit the woodwork in the first half of the friendly and could have done better in the second period when bearing down on the goalkeeper having been alive to a poor back pass but what should please him and manager Michael O'Neill is that he found himself in those positions.
If he continues to do that goals will come. Just ask Cliftonville and County fans.
Another positive was in a dire opening to the contest, Hale showed hunger to try and impact the game and it was his shrewd pass to Isaac Price just after the half hour mark that led to Conor Bradley's shot being blocked lifting the home fans and in turn the team. Price would net the only goal of the game five minutes later.
Having gone through a protracted process last year to complete a FIFA international transfer from the Republic of Ireland, Hale relished starting at Windsor where in 2024 he won the Irish Cup final for Cliftonville against Linfield with two memorable goals.
He would hit 18 for Ross County in the season just finished following last summer's move from Solitude.
'Obviously the transfer was a long process that went on from last summer but I was really happy to finally get it done and then on Tuesday get on the pitch and make my debut,' said Hale.
'Walking out before the game was brilliant. It was quite loud and obviously it was something I'd been looking forward to for quite a long time.
'I'm hungry for more now. It's one that I can build on. I've done what I can and hopefully it's enough to keep me in the squad for the World Cup games though it's down to club form as well. I need to be performing every week because there's a tough pool of strikers that are all competing to be included.
'There's people playing in the League One and the Championship and we're all fighting for that number nine spot. It's healthy competition. All the boys are brilliant with each other.
'They're all driving each other on. It's all about someone grabbing the shirt.'
On going close twice to scoring on his first appearance for Northern Ireland, Hale said: 'For the first one, I think I hit it too well. Obviously if you trickle it in it might go under the goalkeeper or whatever. Then the second one, I've just tried to take it around him and the touch isn't there.
'I would be annoyed at myself if I wasn't having those chances.'
As for the difference between the club and international football, he added: 'I think it's a lot different at international level. You don't get as many chances as you would at club level. It's all about staying patient.
'I feel it was obviously a higher tempo compared to club level but I thought I did myself justice.'
Coming into the squad in March, Hale didn't play against Switzerland or Sweden and missed out again at the weekend in Denmark.
'It's obviously frustrating when you're watching other people play in front of you and you just want to be on that pitch,' admitted the striker.
The last 13 months have been quite something for Hale from winning the Irish Cup to being a hit in his first season with Ross County and now becoming a senior international.
'It's mad to think a season ago I was playing for the Reds and had a special day at the Irish Cup final. To go on and make my debut a year later for the international set up is a great feeling,' he said.
With County relegated from the Premiership, a number of clubs in Scotland and England are now chasing Hale's signature.
'I'm just going to take it as it comes,' states the Belfast man.
'I'm a Ross County player and I'm contracted to them but things can change. It's just about seeing what the future holds for me and the best decision to keep me playing at the highest level I can.'
The manager's verdict?
'I thought the first part of the game was tricky for him, but he grew into the game,' said O'Neill.
'Certainly he had some good passages of link up, he had a nice little chance where he nicked one off the goalkeeper and he was a little bit unlucky.
'I thought he showed up well. It's always difficult for the striker in the early part of the game if the team's not playing particularly well. But I was pleased for him and he obviously has given himself a chance going forward."