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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Isaac Price's pride as Northern Ireland legends come into his sights
Isaac Price has made a huge impact at international level since pulling the Northern Ireland jersey on for the first time some two years ago. After coming off the bench to make his debut against San Marino in March 2023 Price bagged his first goal the following September in a 4-2 defeat to Slovenia. Advertisement The West Brom man has gone on to find the net eight times for his country with his next goal set to be something of a landmark as it pulls him level with some iconic names of Northern Irish football. READ MORE: Ballymena sex assault accused appear in court READ MORE: Ryanair refuses to board NI family on flight from London, telling them they would need visas Billy Bingham, Norman Whiteside, George Best and Gareth McAuley all bagged nine goals in a green and white shirt and Price said to equal their record would be a very proud moment for him. "Yeah, obviously those names are legends, I don't think I'm anywhere near that, but obviously scoring goals is something that every player wants to do," said the 21-year-old. Advertisement "It's one of the hardest things to do in football and if I get to score another goal and join them obviously it'd be an incredibly proud moment for me and my family. "To join their names would be unbelievable. A lot of it's down to the manager, he's put a lot of trust in me since the start, I probably played a lot more games than I would if it was under another manager. "I've played a lot of different positions both at club and here. At my club I play a little bit deeper, I'm more involved in the game but I don't get the goals and the assists I do when I come away with Northern Ireland. "I feel like I'm going to get chances and score goals here. It's a balance between having an effect on the game and playing well but also keeping the numbers high and scoring goals because that's the main thing." Advertisement That adaptability is a key point for Michael O'Neill, who saw something special in Price from the first time he saw him play. "I remember going to watch him play, I think it was a European Youth League game for Everton against, it might have been Feyenoord," recalled the Northern Ireland boss. "I just liked what I saw and thought we'll bring him into the group and see. Players catch your eye and Isaac caught everyone's eye in training after that first call-up. "We felt it was right to put him on the pitch and he hasn't let us down. We have a very adaptable player, a clever player, but athletic as well. Advertisement "I look at Isaac on the same level as any of our young players in that he has all the attributes to play the game at the highest level. "He's doing it the right way because I think to make the choice he made to go abroad at that point in his career. The easier thing would have been to sign a long-term deal with Everton, which he had the option to do and be that loan player that goes here and there every different season. "He chose a more difficult route to do that so that tells you about what he's like as a lad. He's still got a lot of development in him as well but it's nice when a player comes in and feels comfortable and that's what he's shown." After the narrow defeat to Denmark on Saturday Price is looking forward to another tough test at home to Iceland tonight as they build towards the start of the World Cup qualifiers. Advertisement "As a group we feel like we can compete with the big nations, we've shown it before," said Price. "We spoke about possession after the game in Copenhagen. With this game tomorrow, there'll be a different expectation, maybe one to take the initiative in. We feel like we can go and score some goals and hopefully get a good result."
Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Northern Ireland goalscorer inspired by trophy winning teammates: ‘I want to achieve like Conor and Justin'
Bradley claimed the Premier League with Liverpool in the season just finished and Devenny was an FA Cup winner with Crystal Palace. Such is the close knit relationships amongst Michael O'Neill's young squad there was genuine joy amongst the group seeing two of their own collecting major honours. Ahead of Tuesday night's friendly at home to Iceland, West Brom's Price revealed the success has clearly given Bradley and Devenny a lift. 'You can see it in both players,' said Price of his fellow 21-year-olds. 'You look at Conor, he's a fantastic player. The sky's the limit for him. I've played with him since I was 15, 16 and he's been the same the whole way through. 'For a player like me, looking at him, it's something that I aspire to do. 'I want to go and achieve the things that he's achieved and he's done so much already. 'I know I want to go and achieve more. The same with Justin. He's had a very successful season and got a lot of minutes for Palace. 'I think that's the hardest thing to do as a young player is to break into a first team, especially at a Premier League club. They've both done that very well.' Price has also performed well at club level initially starting out as a kid at Everton before moving to Standard Liege and returning to England in January to join the Baggies. He has been even more impressive for Northern Ireland scoring eight goals having only made his debut a couple of years ago. Price revels in meeting up with the squad pointing out that during challenging times in Belgium internationals came as a 'relief' to him to be with people who were friends as well as team-mates. While feeling ultimately that Standard Liege was a great learning experience he is happy to now be at West Brom. 'When I'm with Northern Ireland I feel settled straight away and with each game I keep feeling more confident,' he says. 'I feel like I'm going to get chances to score and it's just about putting them away.' If he scores against Iceland, Price will move to nine international goals moving alongside icons George Best, Billy Bingham, Norman Whiteside and Gareth McAuley on the scoring charts. I tell him that at Monday's press conference to which he responds: 'The names you've just said are legends, I don't think I'm anywhere near that, but obviously scoring goals is something that every player wants to do, it's one of the hardest things to do in football and if I got to score another goal and join them obviously it'd be an incredibly proud moment for me and my family. It would be unbelievable.' 'A lot of it's down to the manager (O'Neill) as well, he's put a lot of trust in me since the start. I've probably played a lot more games than I would if it was under another manager.' So why has O'Neill put so much faith in Price playing him in a roving attacking role? 'I remember going to watch Isaac play in I think a European Youth League game for Everton and I just liked what I saw,' says O'Neill. 'I thought we'll bring him into the group and see. The first game was a competitive game against San Marino and I think like anything players catch your eye and Isaac caught everyone's eye in training. We felt it was right to put him on the pitch and he hasn't let us down and I think that what you get is a very adaptable player, a clever player, but athletic as well. 'I look at Isaac on the same level as any of our young players that has all the attributes to play the game at the highest level and he's doing it the right way because I think for the player to make the choice that he made to go abroad at that point in his career says a lot. The easier thing would have been to sign a long-term deal with Everton, which he had the option to do and be that loan player that goes here and there every different season. 'He chose a more difficult route so that tells you about what he's like as a lad. I know it was difficult out there for him living in that situation, it was not easy but he didn't let it affect his football. 'I went to see him play out there and I think it's the whole package. He's still got a lot of development in him as well but it's nice when a player comes in and plays international football and feels comfortable in it so easily and that's what he's shown, so it's not a difficult decision. He doesn't give me any problems as yet, so we'll see!' O'Neill admitted he didn't know Price's best position. The player gave the same answer but he knows for sure how much he is relishing playing at Windsor Park again. 'The first game that I played here, it sort of felt like home straight away,' he says. 'I think the crowd make you feel that. Every game that I've played since, I just keep feeling better and better. Obviously, I've had nights where I've scored goals here and the crowd have been unbelievable. 'A lot of it is down to other players as well. A lot of my goals have come from great individual play from other players. I think as a team, we just really need to keep doing that. 'There's a lot of belief in the group. Especially when we're at home, it gives an extra boost. We spoke about possession after Saturday's game in Copenhagen (a 2-1 defeat to Denmark). With this game against Iceland there will be a different expectation, maybe one to take the initiative. We feel like we can go and score some goals and hopefully get a good result. 'At home you have a little bit of an extra advantage and when I've played here, it feels like we have a 12th man with the fans.'
