NI captain Trai Hume flattered to receive Michael O'Neill praise ahead of Denmark clash
In turn, Sunderland hero Hume, who will captain the national side on Saturday in Denmark and at home to Iceland on Tuesday, smiled about the throwback portrayal, saying: 'I get told that. I'm sitting here with a mullet and a moustache and I slide tackle a lot, so obviously people think that!'
Hume was quick to point out: 'I like to think I'm good enough in the modern game and I'm a good footballer as well and not just a person who gets stuck in. I would probably say I look like one but I'm a modern day footballer.'
It's worth making clear that O'Neill also sees the 23-year-old as an inspiration having made his way from Linfield and Ballymena United on loan to the Premier League with Sunderland.
'I think Trai is a great example to all the young players that there is no set pathway or journey to get to be an international footballer,' said O'Neill, who himself started out at Coleraine before joining Newcastle as a teenager.
'You don't have to be at Liverpool or Manchester United at 15 or 16 to have that pathway.
'Trai came down a different route through our own domestic League. The biggest thing was when he got the opportunity at a big club like Sunderland, who were albeit in League One at that point in time, that he was able to deal with that situation and he has been a big part of the journey and progression of that club as well.
'For me, Trai is probably more like the lads that used to be in the squad when I was in it. Nothing seems to faze him. Modern footballers get caught up in a lot of stuff. Trai doesn't seem to be fazed by any of that, which is quite refreshing. His feet are firmly on the ground but he is very driven.
'He's a straight talker, which is good, he's a good talker in the group and a strong leader. To see him win the Play-Off at Wembley with Sunderland for promotion was great, as is seeing how he is regarded at his club.. He is unaffected by all of that which is very refreshing from a coaching and management point of view.'
Hume's response to all that sitting beside his manager in the press conference on the eve of the Denmark game?
'It's nice to hear, especially from your own coach. Like I've always done I'll take it on and enjoy the praise but we are here to do a job and we are here to win a game. That's what my focus is on.'
Typical Hume that. Concentrate on the job in hand. Keep getting stuck in, work hard, put in 100 per cent every game and improve all the time.
'I just try and look forward and keep on trying to get better and improve as a player. That's the plan,' he says.
'I've got a tough season coming up in the Premier League and that'll be the best League in the world to expose myself to. So hopefully I can improve myself and keep on trying to get better.'
The last time Northern Ireland were in Copenhagen in the Euro 2024 qualifiers VAR ruled out an injury time equaliser from Callum Marshall.
On that game, Hume's memories are: 'Hurt, probably because we scored the last minute goal with Callum on his debut and obviously VAR ruled it out, so it was a tough one to take, but I thought we gave a good account of ourselves and gave Denmark a very tough game. Hopefully we can do the same this time. We're coming here to win.'
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