Who should be Northern Ireland’s number one goalkeeper?
“The more depth we have in that position, the better. It’s good to have that competition.”
Northern Ireland manage Michael O’Neill was full of optimism when asked about his goalkeeping options for November’s Nations League double-header.
When regular number one Bailey Peacock-Farrell was ruled out of October’s matches, 19-year-old Pierce Charles was handed the starting berth against Belarus and Bulgaria.
He put in two performances that left O’Neill “delighted”, with clean sheets in both matches and some excellent distribution.
But with Peacock-Farrell back in the squad, and Luke Southwood getting minutes in the bank at Bolton, who does O’Neill turn to for the games with Belarus and Luxembourg? Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Birmingham City)
Bailey Peacock-Farrell has been Northern Ireland’s number one goalkeeper since breaking into the senior team in 2018.
He has won 48 caps since making his debut and has held off challenges from Michael McGovern, Trevor Carson and Conor Hazard for the starting position.
However, club minutes have been an issue for Peacock-Farrell since his breakthrough year at Leeds United.
He joined Burnley but was a back-up goalkeeper, which led to a productive loan at Sheffield Wednesday before he spent last season in Denmark with AGF Aarhus.
The 28-year-old started the season as Birmingham City’s number one, but a shoulder injury left him sidelined and he has lost his starting place to Ryan Allsop at St Andrews.
For Northern Ireland, Peacock-Farrell has been dependable, although his error handed Bulgaria the decisive goal in September’s matches.
Pierce Charles (Sheffield Wednesday)
Pierce Charles was playing for Northern Ireland’s Under-19s in the summer and is now a fully-fledged senior international.
When Peacock-Farrell was ruled out October’s matches, it was the teenager who got the nod to step in.
Younger brother of midfielder Shea, Charles kept two clean sheets against Belarus and Bulgaria – although he wasn’t severely tested in goal.
His distribution and vision shone through, with a superb pass to find Conor Bradley in the build-up to Dion Charles’ disallowed goal against Bulgaria going viral.
While he has not played any minutes in the Championship for Sheffield Wednesday, he has been their cup goalkeeper and impressed in the defeat against Premier League side Brentford.
He is very much seen as a goalkeeper for not only the future, but also for the present.
Luke Southwood (Bolton Wanderers)
Despite being third choice for Northern Ireland, Luke Southwood is actually the goalkeeper who is currently getting the most time on the pitch this season.
The 26-year-old played every minute of Cheltenham Town’s last two league campaigns, and has featured in the absence of Nathan Baker for Bolton Wanderers since a summer switch to the League One side.
His sole Northern Ireland cap came against Luxembourg in 2022, and he has been almost ever-present in the squad despite his lack of minutes at international level.
However, the fact Charles was selected for October’s matches suggests that he is third in the pecking order behind the teenager and Peacock-Farrell.
Who else is there?
Northern Ireland’s goalkeeping depth has not been as strong for a number of years, and there is a handful of further options who were either not selected for November’s game or were unavailable for selection.
The headline name is Conor Hazard, who has impressed for Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle but is out injured.
The 26-year-old has won eight caps, and would have likely made the squad if fit.
Mansfield Town’s Christy Pym was O’Neill’s third goalkeeping option for October’s matches when Peacock-Farrell and Hazard were both injured.
Pym, 29, is on the standby list for November’s double-header.
There are a couple of Under-21s options who could be names to look out for in the future, including Celtic’s Josh Clarke and 19-year-old Stephen McMullan, who is on loan at Caernarfon Town from Fleetwood Town.
