O'Neill visits Campbell College as young Northern Ireland players feature in Nations League window

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill visited the IFA JD National Academy at Campbell College on Tuesday as fans digested Monday's 0-0 home draw with Hungary, which followed a 1-0 win in Georgia on Friday in their Nations League campaign. O'Neill has made youth inclusion a priority during this international window.

Included in the squad this international window are teenagers Ceadach O'Neill, Tom Atcheson, Braiden Graham and Kieran Morrison, while 21-year-old Patrick Kelly and 22-year-old Terry Devlin have begun to stake their claim for regular inclusion. "A golden generation, or is this simply Northern Ireland's football factory - the IFA JD National Academy - beginning to bear fruit?" the report asked. "I know about all these players in here, know the clubs they are attracting attention from, their positions," O'Neill told BBC Sport NI. "We have regular meetings as staff every month with regular updates on the academy and where those players are going. Our job is to prepare them as best as possible and guide them if that opportunity comes to take the next step into the professional game in England or Scotland."

The academy at Campbell College is a residential, designed for 24 elite young players at under-15 and under-16 level, providing preparation for life away from home should that come to pass. While athletes, the players remain students with equal emphasis on football and life skills. Education in the classroom is a key component because, in the world of professional football, there are no guarantees.

Sixteen-year-old academy student Bailey Magee, who plays club football with Glenavon, described a typical day dominated by school until mid-afternoon before gym and training sessions and evening study. "Going away with Northern Ireland has helped me because I'm able to stay away from home and you get used to that a wee bit," he said, adding: "The hardest times are [after] Christmas because that's when you're coming back after spending a long time with family." He praised the balance of education and sport: "The IFA and Campbell have done really well when you're trying to mix the two and balance football with studies."

Magee set out his options clearly: "I'll work hard until the end of the year and whatever happens, happens. I'll maybe do A-Levels, maybe a B.Tech or full-time football academy with the likes of Linfield or Larne, so there are loads of different pathways for us." Fifteen-year-old Kayson Braniff, currently on Linfield's books, agreed on the importance of education: "My dad had drilled it into my head that we need our studies. It's not as if football is everything, studies come first because you definitely need them in case football doesn't work out."

The article noted clubs in England can integrate players from a younger age, which can leave Northern Irish teenagers needing preparation when they move in their mid-teens; O'Neill said time in the NI academy helps. He said it makes teenagers "better equipped" to make their mark at an English or Scottish club and pointed to earlier selection choices as part of that development process. "Two or three years ago we brought players in a bit younger than their club career suggested they were at that level, but it pays dividends now," O'Neill said. "You need the right people in the right positions to make that work and I think we have that. Players have decisions to make on their club situations and international situations, but your pathway is very important as it builds a loyalty within players. We want young players from whatever part of the community they come from to be part of this pathway to become senior international players."

The pathway has produced recognisable graduates, with the article citing Conor Bradley as a high-profile example who has gone on to wear the green jersey and play in Champions League games. Magee said of his meeting with O'Neill: "He's a really nice guy and to think I could be in that team in the next few years, which is the goal, it's really reassuring." Braniff said O'Neill's interest shows "he cares about the youth" and added: "It doesn't matter who it's for or where it is, so long as it's a professional team and a professional contract," when asked what would constitute success for academy players.

If a player from the academy moves to a full-time club it will represent another success story for the programme. Watch our full behind the scenes access, external on the BBC NI YouTube channel right now.