Stuart Dallas will not be back for next month's Northern Ireland friendlies
Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill is not expecting long term injured stars Stuart Dallas and Corry Evans to be back in time for next month’s friendlies in Romania and Scotland.
Leeds United hero Dallas has not played since breaking his leg in April 2022 while Sunderland skipper Evans has been out of action from January 2023 after suffering a serious knee injury.
Both were key figures for O’Neill in his first successful spell in charge but have yet to play for him since his return.
Asked if they would be available for the March double header, O’Neill told the Belfast Telegraph: “That would be a stretch. Neither player is close to their first team at this minute in time and we are coming up to the midway point in February, so I think it would be a tough challenge for both boys.
“It's not that important that they are back for March. The most important thing is that they are fit and back playing for their clubs because obviously we know when they do that they will be back playing for us.
“Both Stuart and Corry are with their clubs and they are not back in terms of full training or back in their matchday squads and we just have to be patient with that and hopefully they will be fit sooner rather than later.”
O’Neill was content with Thursday night’s Nations League draw which saw his side grouped with Luxembourg, Bulgaria and Belarus. The games will be played in September, October and November.
Prior to that Northern Ireland have matches in Romania and Scotland on March 22 and 26 and two further friendlies in June, with one likely to be in Spain.
Read on belfasttelegraph.co.uk