Jackson Irvine tips Ross County team-mate Liam Boyce for a Northern Ireland recall
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JACKSON Irvine has backed Liam Boyce to make up for his Euro 2016 heartache by earning an instant recall to the Northern Ireland squad this autumn.
Boyce was dropped from Michael O’Neill’s final 23-man squad, in favour of Wigan goal-getter Will Grigg, but Irvine believes it will only spur him on at the start of the new campaign.
Along with former Caley Thistle striker Billy Mckay, Boyce was one of five players omitted by O’Neill when he whittled down his selections for France last week. Boyce netted 20 goals last season but only three of them came after Christmas, with Grigg scoring 21 in the same period.
Northern Ireland return to action post-Euros in September, with a World Cup qualifier away to the Czech Republic. Irvine, who has been on international duty himself with Australia in the last fortnight, hopes Boyce’s absence from the international scene is only temporary.
He told the NS: "Obviously Boycey was unfortunate to miss out on Northern Ireland’s Euros squad but everyone knows how talented he is. Come the start of next season, he will be back to his very best and will get back in the squad."
Former Celtic midfielder Irvine concluded his mammoth 10-month jet-setting season in the Socceroos’ game against Greece on Tuesday, the second of a double-header with the 2004 European Championship winners.
He also featured as a substitute against England at the Stadium of Light and in Sydney on Saturday, coming on late as Australia nicked a 1-0 win.
The second game with Greece on Tuesday, where Irvine was an unused substitute in a 2-1 defeat, concluded a long campaign which started back in August last year.
Now with four caps to his name, he admits to wanting a break after a chaotic season in Dingwall.
Irvine said: "There’s been a lot of emotions, highs and lows – a lot more highs with everything that has gone on this season. I now get two weeks off to relax before I have to return for pre-season. I will deal with next season soon but I can’t wait to put my feet up.
"I’ll have some relaxation time with the family – with getting to 53 games maybe the gaffer will give me a bit more time off!"
*** Irvine has this week been linked to a move with newly-promoted English Championship side Burton Albion as well as Rotherham, where Alan Stubbs has just become the boss.
