Northern Ireland striker Liam Boyce targets cup glory with Ross County - and a Euro 2016 call
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LIAM Boyce admits he has blown too many career chances – but knows helping to fire Ross County to Scottish League Cup glory on Sunday can shoot him all way to the European Championships.
The striker was part of the Northern Ireland squad which sensationally reached the finals in France this summer but will be one of many players needing late season form to help clinch their place in the competing squad.
As an emerging talent back home, Boyce, always highly rated, won a move from Cliftonville to German side Werder Bremen but failed to make an impact, making only a handful of appearances for their reserves. He conceded that thinking he had made the big time before he actually had backfired.
As did the culture of over-celebrating and Boyce, when at Cliftonville, regrets partying too hard after winning the league and not being as prepared for their fast approaching cup final.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s final against Hibernian, he said when he went to Germany he felt like he was top of the world.
“But then my confidence was shot to bits and you come back wondering whether you are going to get another chance. I got the chance here at Ross County and I have taken it,” he said.
“I was only 18 when I went to Germany and I was playing for Northern Ireland as well. I thought I had everything and then I came home and I was playing for Cliftonville reserves for six months and I knew I needed to get my head screwed on. That refocused me and I saw this as my last chance and it fired me up to take it.
“We won the league at Cliftonville and we were out celebrating for a couple of weeks. Then the cup final in Ireland came around and we ended up getting beat in extra-time. We could have won the treble that year had we prepared better. It was an opportunity missed but I learned from it.”
Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill is watching with interest to Scotland where three of his strikers are aiming to prove they should pull on the green shirts in the Euros this summer.
Boyce knows, along with winning the League Cup for County, there could be another huge benefit from shining in a final such as the one on Sunday.
“This is a great chance to show what I can do, including with the Euro finals coming up. Obviously the main thing is, with my team-mates here, to lift the trophy but it is a great platform to show what you can do,” he said.
“There are boys all over the leagues, including Scotland, and everyone wants a final boost to push yourself into the national squad.”
Despite a broken hand, Boyce has bagged 17 goals this season for the Staggies and he says the supply from the wide areas is perfect for the forwards at the club, including Brian Graham, Alex Schalk and on-loan Aberdeen striker David Goodwillie.
“One of the main reasons why we have done so well this season is that we have players who can put the ball in the box and the movement we have from the strikers works well,” he said.
“You know, as a striker, if you’re not scoring there’s someone else there to come in and take their chance. When you know a good delivery is coming in you just have to make your move and lose your defender to get the chance.”
After two terrific years at County and his future secured until 2018, Boyce now wants the League Cup in Dingwall for more than the photocall this week.
“I have been here for two years and I know what it would mean to everyone at Ross County if we were to win it and bring the cup it up here,” he added. “It would be unbelievable. You probably wouldn’t appreciate what it means until the end of your career.”
