KYLE LAFFERTY, the former Rangers striker, insists his Northern Ireland manager, Michael O’Neill, has fostered such a spirit of togetherness within the camp ahead of Euro 2016 that he would run through a brick wall for him.
The Norwich City forward will lead his country’s attack at the finals in France after scoring an impressive seven goals over the course of their historic triumph in the qualifying group.
It has been a different story at club level with Lafferty, who spent two months on loan at Birmingham City during the second half of last season, struggling for game time under manager Alex Neil at Carrow Road.
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However, the 28-year-old, who played at Ibrox for four years until 2012, insists one-time Hibernian and Dundee United player O’Neill brings out the best in him.
“What Michael says to me every game before I go out to warm up gives me belief and makes me feel like I want to run through a brick wall for him,” he said.
“The belief he gives me that I can go out and score against anyone is amazing. The way he's man-managed me in the last two years has been superb.
“I've always given 110 per cent for Northern Ireland, for my country.
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“I’ll never throw in the towel. I came close to it, but I decided I couldn't because I love playing for them and scoring a goal for them is the best feeling ever.
“Seeing young boys wearing your country's shirt with your name on it is the best feeling you can probably have.
“To go on to be the second-highest goalscorer of all time is a massive feeling for me.”
Lafferty was substituted as a precaution in Saturday’s goalless draw with Slovakia as Northern Ireland completed their preparations for the finals.
O’Neill’s side face Poland in their Group C opener on Sunday before clashes against the Ukraine and Germany and having a fully-fit Lafferty will be essential to their gameplan.
“Kyle just had a little bit of a tight calf from a kick,” said O’Neill.
“We had planned to take off Kyle on 60-65 minutes. He wanted to stay on, but there was no sense in it, and the same with Craig Cathcart.
“If it was the Poland game in that situation and we needed them, they wouldn't have come off."
Aaron Hughes earned his 100th cap against Slovakia, the same opponent he made his debut against in 1998, and five years after he originally called time on his international career. He admits the appointment of O'Neill as manager persuaded him he would return to a team that could reach a first finals since the 1986 World Cup.
"I was disillusioned, thinking it was never going to be possible," said Hughes. "To still be part of that group has made it special for me. We are a close-knit group on and off the pitch and that makes it special for every one of us."
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