Glentoran winger Conor McMenamin’s vibrant performances for Northern Ireland merit another international call-up by Ian Baraclough.
That’s the view of former St Johnstone and Kilmarnock boss Tommy Wright who was impressed by the 26-year-old in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Cyprus.
McMenamin, a surprise call-up to Baraclough’s squad after impressing in a recent training camp, featured in three of Northern Ireland’s four Nations League games in June.
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The left-sided forward made his debut in a 0-0 draw with Cyprus in Larnaca and started subsequent games against Kosovo in Pristina and Cyprus in Belfast.
“I thought McMenamin was good against Cyprus,” said Wright, who was working as a pundit for Radio Ulster at Windsor Park.
“He was getting in behind their defence and putting some great crosses in.
“McMenamin can go away from these games with a lot of pride. He has done the Irish League proud but more importantly he has done himself proud.
“He is definitely one that you’d like to see in the squad moving forward.”
Wright believes a front three of Blackpool striker Shayne Lavery, with McMenamin and Gavin Whyte on either wing would offer a greater goal scoring threat than Northern Ireland offered on Sunday.
Baraclough started with experienced Kilmarnock striker Kyle Lafferty through the middle and Lavery on the right wing, with Whyte eventually replacing Lavery off the bench.
“Every game I’ve seen Gavin Whyte play for Northern Ireland, he’s always looked like a threat,” said Wright.
“To play Shayne Lavery (on the right wing) ahead of him, if I’m Gavin sitting on the bench, I’m going ‘he’s playing a centre-forward ahead of me’.
“Kyle is at the stage of his career where he wants to come to the ball and drop deep and some of the times when we get the ball in the box he’s outside the box.
“We did say at half-time we’d like to see Whyte, Lavery and McMenamin as the front three.”
Wright was also impressed by Liverpool teenager Conor Bradley and Stoke City midfielder Jordan Thompson who made an impact off the bench.
Thompson picked passes in midfield and Bradley, who replaced Brodie Spencer at right-back, was a blur of perpetual motion as Northern Ireland chased an equaliser.
“Bradley’s energy to get forward is unbelievable,” said Wright.
“The thing I like about Thompson is he is always looking to play forward and he looks to play forward quickly. He’s sharp with his passing and he’s always looking to do something.”
A brace from Andronikos Kakoulli had Cyprus 2-0 ahead before goals from Paddy McNair and Jonny Evans, three minutes into stoppage time, scrambled a share of the spoils.
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