Ian Baraclough is backing inspirational captain Steven Davis to play a key role in Northern Ireland’s quest to reach the Euro 2024 finals in Germany.
There were concerns that Davis, who turns 38 in January, would call time on 17 years of national service with his club career in limbo.
But it now looks likely that the veteran midfielder will sign a one-year deal at Rangers and prolong his stay at Ibrox until next summer.
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And that means Davis, who has won a record 134 caps, would be available for his country when the Euro qualifying campaign kicks off in March.
Not only that, Baraclough is confident his skipper has the talent, discipline and fitness levels to play on for another two or three years.
And that would conjure up the possibility of the Rangers playmaker being available for the entirety of the Euro campaign with the finals in Germany in two years time.
Ahead of this week’s Nations League opener against Greece in Belfast, Baraclough said: “I think Steven can play for another couple or three years but that’s me.
“I don’t want to ramp up any sort of pressure on him. I always get plenty of questions about him and I don’t like talking about the subject of him retiring.
“He’s our leader, our captain and he’s someone we want around for a little while longer.”
Davis started last Saturday’s Scottish Cup final win over Hearts and impressed as a substitute in an agonising penalty shootout defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final.
“In the Scottish Cup final I thought he was great,” said Baraclough. “He also came on in the Europa League final and calmed things down for Rangers at the time.
“He maybe could have even got a goal or two for Rangers as well and he put his penalty away (in the shootout), which shows his coolness of mind.”
Barring one or two minor knocks, Baraclough has no major injury concerns ahead of this month’s quadruple header in League C Group 2 of the Nations League.
Thursday’s home clash with Greece is followed by away games with Cyprus and Kosovo on June 5 and June 9 before the Cypriots come to Belfast on June 12.
“Four games in 10 or 11 days is going to be a stretch for everybody,” said Baraclough, who knows topping the group seals a potential play-off route to the Euros.
“We want to top the league which could get us a play-off place for the Euros and that’s not to be sniffed at, but Germany 2024 is our long-term goal,” he said.
“But you’ve got to weigh up what’s right for the group so you have more players with experience going into that Euro qualifying group when it comes around.”
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