:00:32. > :00:38.It is the start of a new era for Northern Ireland football. A new
:00:38. > :00:42.manager, a new captain and new plans to redevelop went airpark.
:00:42. > :00:47.Tonight Norway are the visitors to Belfast for Michael Neil's first
:00:47. > :00:52.game in charge. He was the unanimous choice to take the
:00:52. > :01:00.Northern Ireland hot seat. As a player he had an international
:01:00. > :01:05.pedigree of some repute. And an eye for goal. He cut his managerial
:01:05. > :01:10.teeth as boss of Brechin City in Scotland. But it was at Shamrock
:01:10. > :01:17.Rovers where he really made his mark. And as he took control of
:01:17. > :01:22.Northern Ireland this week, it went weak at BBC sport at a problem. How
:01:22. > :01:26.do you think this is going to impact on Stephen Moss? I am not
:01:26. > :01:31.sure, I will have to get somebody else to answer those intricate
:01:31. > :01:37.questions he used to throw at me. We have replaced Michael with this
:01:37. > :01:44.man, Gerry Taggart. You know Michael well, what will he bring to
:01:44. > :01:50.this job? He will be very well organised. Hopefully he brings an
:01:50. > :01:55.attacking flair that maybe we have not seen in the last few years. He
:01:55. > :01:59.was an attacking player himself. Hopefully he will bring back across
:01:59. > :02:04.in his style of management and the players will show that on the pitch.
:02:04. > :02:11.How difficult will it be for him to change what is a dismal record for
:02:11. > :02:16.Northern Ireland, just two wins in the last 24 games. We have not got
:02:16. > :02:21.the strength and depth of other countries. He is going to have to
:02:21. > :02:26.try and change the mentality of the players. We have got nothing to
:02:26. > :02:31.lose as far as I am concerned. We have to go out and show the fans we
:02:31. > :02:36.have got guts and thunder and give them everything we have got.
:02:36. > :02:42.will hear more from you after the game. It is time to see how Michael
:02:42. > :02:49.O'Neill gets on in his debut as Northern Ireland have manager, in
:02:49. > :02:55.the company of Jackie Fullerton. He makes his debut as a manager. He
:02:55. > :03:00.takes over at a difficult time. They are languishing in 86th place
:03:00. > :03:06.in the world rankings. A massive challenge, but he knows that.
:03:06. > :03:11.Steven Davis is very proud to lead the side out. Captain of Rangers
:03:11. > :03:18.and captain of his country. Young Shane Ferguson, the second cap for
:03:18. > :03:22.a young boy from Newcastle United. Looking at the first Northern
:03:22. > :03:27.Ireland line-up, the fans are really pleased to see the name of
:03:27. > :03:37.Aaron Hughes. His retirement plans have been shelled. He joins Jonny
:03:37. > :03:55.
:03:56. > :04:05.Up front no place for David Healy. You will spot a few familiar names
:04:06. > :04:14.
:04:14. > :04:23.here. John are no reserve and Morten Pedersen. Nor are they won
:04:24. > :04:31.4-1 in Belfast in 2004. Havard Nordtveit is another one to keep an
:04:31. > :04:41.eye on and there is reports of that Liverpool have made a bid of over
:04:41. > :05:10.
:05:10. > :05:17.O'Neill era begins here, it begins now. Jonny Evans took care of
:05:18. > :05:27.business on that occasion. His form has been described by Sir Alex
:05:28. > :05:42.
:05:42. > :05:47.to wait. The keeper was in two minds whether to come or not. It is
:05:47. > :05:57.his first cap tonight. Seven years at Liverpool, won the Champions
:05:57. > :06:22.
:06:22. > :06:32.trepidation about playing Norway in Belfast in February. On the last
:06:32. > :06:51.
:06:51. > :06:57.visit Norway won 4-1. On the Norwegians. Just one Northern
:06:57. > :07:05.Ireland when, 1975, the European Championships. 3-0 that state. That
:07:05. > :07:14.was not too far away. The keeper obviously got a touch. He has not
:07:14. > :07:24.scored for Northern Ireland, but he was very close then. He let it go.
:07:24. > :07:34.The keeper got a hand to it. Rune Jarstein, well saved. Good pressure
:07:34. > :07:34.
:07:34. > :08:35.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 61 seconds
:08:35. > :08:45.City player, but he is on loan at another club. Martin Paterson could
:08:45. > :08:45.
:08:45. > :09:42.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 61 seconds
:09:42. > :09:52.Once again Northern Ireland could not get on the end of it. It was
:09:52. > :10:07.
:10:07. > :10:16.support. Norway are making a bit of a hash of things. Gareth Macaulay
:10:16. > :10:26.from West Bromwich Albion having a few problems. Northern Ireland
:10:26. > :10:57.
:10:57. > :11:05.international very impressively. He looks like a schoolboy, doesn't he?
:11:05. > :11:15.He is 20. The first game at Windsor Park. His first game was three
:11:15. > :11:52.
:11:52. > :12:02.years ago in a friendly against Rune Jarstein. All six feet four
:12:02. > :12:02.
:12:02. > :12:43.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 61 seconds
:12:43. > :12:53.inches of the keeper. I am not sure Morten Pedersen. He hit that over
:12:53. > :13:07.
:13:07. > :13:17.were stretched. He did not get over it, but it is easy to sit up here
:13:17. > :13:17.
:13:17. > :14:18.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 61 seconds
:14:18. > :14:24.Just wide of the post. The big man from West Brom so close to a third
:14:24. > :14:28.international goal. Relief for Rune Jarstein and company. All very
:14:28. > :14:34.shaky in that defence. Northern Ireland must have thought they had
:14:34. > :14:44.scored, but they had not. Perhaps Gareth McAuley could have done
:14:44. > :14:52.
:14:52. > :15:02.better. But it was a good save it great ball. A rare mistake by the
:15:02. > :15:12.reliable Mr Hughes. Three minutes to half-time. They do not want to
:15:12. > :15:15.
:15:15. > :15:25.concede at this stage of the game, friendly or no friendly. It has
:15:25. > :15:26.
:15:26. > :15:31.been given. It is that man we talked about, Liverpool are
:15:31. > :15:37.watching him. Northern Ireland were not watching him closely enough at
:15:37. > :15:47.this corner. It took a touch, I am sure, on the way through, but as
:15:47. > :15:56.
:15:56. > :16:02.back on their heels by that Norwegian goal. Gareth McCauley
:16:02. > :16:12.needs to deliver the cross, get it into the danger area. There is no
:16:12. > :16:12.
:16:12. > :16:17.time for that. It is half-time. It was not a bad first half and a just
:16:17. > :16:27.a couple of minutes before the break. The shut by Havard Nordtveit
:16:27. > :16:35.
:16:35. > :16:44.was deflected by Sammy Clingan. The Vikings have brought a bugler.
:16:44. > :16:49.Aaron Hughes has gone off. Evans has gone off because Hull City
:16:49. > :16:59.wanted him only to play 45 minutes because they have again on Friday
:16:59. > :16:59.
:16:59. > :17:40.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 61 seconds
:17:40. > :17:50.night. Michael O'Neill alongside very close to number three. That
:17:50. > :18:03.
:18:03. > :18:13.but it was never going goalwards, no matter how hard the new skipper
:18:13. > :18:14.
:18:14. > :18:23.made the run. It was not the worst of balls, but he was always under
:18:23. > :18:31.pressure and he did not get the room. He was slightly behind. Paddy
:18:31. > :18:35.McCourt is a man who can light up any game. He is coming on in the
:18:35. > :18:41.plays of Shane Ferguson. A young man has committed himself to
:18:41. > :18:45.Northern Ireland. There was talk of him going to the Republic. Paddy
:18:45. > :18:55.McCourt, we will always remember his two goals against the Faroe
:18:55. > :19:10.
:19:10. > :19:20.getting a game at Celtic these days illuminate Windsor Park once again?
:19:20. > :19:24.
:19:24. > :19:31.For the home fans that would be buzz when McCourt gets the ball.
:19:31. > :19:37.The footwork, the trickery. In he goes. That's a lovely ball. All the
:19:37. > :19:43.which across. In by Davies, it won't come to anything, though.
:19:43. > :19:49.Number 15, Martin Paterson coming off. David Healy is on for his
:19:49. > :19:59.92ened cap. The most capped outfield player in our history.
:19:59. > :20:01.
:20:01. > :20:09.Taking over from Mal Donaghy who had 91.
:20:09. > :20:15.Now, Pedersen, off to Nordtveit. This is very good. Well, he would
:20:15. > :20:21.have taken the net off there with that one. But unlucky, the big man
:20:21. > :20:25.who scored 14 international goals in the previous 100 caps. Just
:20:25. > :20:35.about a few inches too high that time.
:20:35. > :21:11.
:21:11. > :21:16.Substitutes Elyounoussi, the men in the helmets are delighted. So is he.
:21:16. > :21:26.Third international goal for Tarik Elyounoussi. Sloppy defending by
:21:26. > :21:28.
:21:28. > :21:33.there is the gap and the finish. Camp will not be happy being beaten
:21:33. > :21:36.at his near post. No keeper likes that. But it's a dagger through the
:21:36. > :21:46.heart of Michael O'Neill and Northern Ireland right at the death.
:21:46. > :21:50.
:21:50. > :22:00.apart from - well everybody else will be disappointed but Evans is
:22:00. > :22:29.
:22:29. > :22:33.well used to winning at Manchester here in 2004, Olsen, when they won
:22:33. > :22:39.4-1 and a certain Michael O'Neill was playing for Northern Ireland.
:22:39. > :22:49.And here they are meeting under different circumstances and still
:22:49. > :22:57.
:22:57. > :23:03.I think it was McCann. David Healy, as he takes that little bit of
:23:03. > :23:11.history, 92ened cap, it's a remarkable record for our record
:23:11. > :23:19.goal scorer, but defeat will not sit easily on his shoulders. We
:23:19. > :23:29.just wish Healey, Davis and Laferty all the best when they have that
:23:29. > :23:29.
:23:29. > :24:10.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 61 seconds
:24:10. > :24:20.trimming of the staff at Ibrox, crept over the line. Sensational
:24:20. > :24:25.
:24:25. > :24:30.finish that. Well, well, what a goal. Number 14, Espen Ruud. First
:24:30. > :24:40.goal, he played in several of the qualifiers, he's never scored. He
:24:40. > :24:42.
:24:42. > :24:47.has now! 3-0. Good strike. Camp unlucky. It's a
:24:47. > :24:56.very good skill to hit a ball like that and he hit it well. Straight
:24:57. > :25:03.and through the heart of Michael O'Neill and Northern Ireland. The
:25:03. > :25:08.referee brings it to an end. It's a disappointment for Michael O'Neill.
:25:08. > :25:12.No points at stake, but he has his debut over. He will have learned a
:25:12. > :25:17.lot. Big, big challenge ahead of him and this defeat will have
:25:17. > :25:22.underlined that. Next up is Holland, plenty to
:25:22. > :25:30.Ponder for the new manager. Disappointment for the new Captain.
:25:30. > :25:37.Disappointment for the previous Captain. David Healy, no goals,
:25:37. > :25:42.like his last appearance before in 2004 against Norway. Michael
:25:42. > :25:46.getting a good reception, despite the result. But disappointment all
:25:47. > :25:56.round for Northern Ireland. Final score in this friendly
:25:57. > :26:01.
:26:01. > :26:04.was how it was billed but the wrong result obviously? Yeah, a little
:26:04. > :26:08.bit disappointed. Thought first half we were good, restricted them
:26:08. > :26:18.and dealt with it easily, bar the goal. But the second half made a
:26:18. > :26:22.few changes. We gave away a couple of sloppy goals. At one down, then
:26:22. > :26:25.following that there was a moment of ping-pong in the box where you
:26:25. > :26:32.were among one of three or four who thought they were going to stick it
:26:32. > :26:36.in the net, what happened? It was a bit of a freak one really. Me, and
:26:36. > :26:42.McAuley and Owen, all three of husband a chance. It wasn't to be.
:26:42. > :26:47.Defended it quite well. It was billed as the O'Neill era, the
:26:47. > :26:52.wrong result, how did you sense the game? I am in charge, I didn't bill
:26:52. > :26:56.it as the O'Neill era. It's my first game in charge. The result's
:26:56. > :27:01.very disappointing, you can't get away from that word disappointing.
:27:01. > :27:03.The lads are disappointed. There was a lot of positives as well, I
:27:03. > :27:08.don't think it was a fair reflection in the game, certainly
:27:08. > :27:11.not the first half. We had to make changes and disrupt us a little bit
:27:11. > :27:17.in the back four, no doubt about that. We saw some players on view
:27:17. > :27:22.tonight, certainly Ferguson and Shields had good games, Clingan had
:27:22. > :27:27.an excellent game as well and Davis and Evans both good performances,
:27:27. > :27:30.so when we look at it tomorrow we will find a lot of positives there.
:27:30. > :27:34.But obviously disappointed with the result. Beyond the blooding of
:27:34. > :27:39.those new players, what other positives can you point to in a 3-0
:27:39. > :27:45.defeat? You can point to the fact that we have to - we had two days
:27:45. > :27:48.with the players and worked hard and how we tried to pass the ball
:27:48. > :27:51.and retain possession of the ball and for long periods of the first
:27:51. > :27:57.half we did that. We were difficult to break down the first half as
:27:57. > :28:01.well, the disappointing aspect was the goal from a setpiece second
:28:01. > :28:06.half and maybe we weren't as potent as in the first half in relation to
:28:06. > :28:09.how we retained the ball certainly. So, you know, you can be
:28:09. > :28:13.overcritical at times. It's ease tkwroeu look at the scoreline and
:28:13. > :28:17.pick holes in it, but we will look at the performance and we look for
:28:17. > :28:22.the positives. For the players what is your assessment of the
:28:22. > :28:25.performance and of the new man in? Performance-wise I think we got off
:28:25. > :28:28.to a good start, especially the first half. We came ourt and took
:28:29. > :28:32.on board what the manager wanted us to do, get the ball down and play
:28:32. > :28:36.and the only thing mising from the first half performance was the goal
:28:36. > :28:42.which we never got. Obviously, to concede late on first half is a bit
:28:42. > :28:46.of a blow, but overall we are pleased. He blooded a few new faces
:28:46. > :28:49.tonight, presumably a game like this evening is about prepping for
:28:49. > :28:55.what will be a very, very difficult World Cup qualifying group?
:28:55. > :28:58.Definitely, it's the first game of the manager's rein and it was a
:28:58. > :29:02.good performance, especially first half and we have a tough group and
:29:02. > :29:07.about the new young faces, Shane Ferguson came in and was terrific
:29:07. > :29:11.on the left side and I am glad we have him on board and also Dean
:29:11. > :29:14.Shields who has been out of the frame came on and got Man of the
:29:14. > :29:20.Match performance. Got to ask but the current situation at Rangers,
:29:20. > :29:22.did you see it coming and what is it like at the moment? I am back to
:29:23. > :29:27.my club tomorrow and I will know more about the situation then. At
:29:27. > :29:30.this point in time time there's not much to say. Regarding the future,
:29:30. > :29:34.it's continue to play and hope they get it right in the boardroom?
:29:34. > :29:38.That's all we can do, is try and maybe give the fans a boost on the
:29:38. > :29:43.pitch and continue to do our best between the end of the season.
:29:43. > :29:47.performance wasn't down to lack of application or lack of - down to
:29:48. > :29:51.lack of effort, there was fatigue there at the end with the last few
:29:51. > :29:57.minutes. So, there's no benefit in going in and giving the players a
:29:57. > :30:02.blast on that basis, as I say, we will take positive side of things
:30:02. > :30:06.and we will look at things tomorrow in the cold light of day and I will
:30:06. > :30:09.see where we can build on things. So defeat for Michael O'Neill in
:30:10. > :30:14.his first game in charge, beaten 3- 0. Did Northern Ireland and Michael
:30:14. > :30:17.deserve better? I don't think so. I think if you take an overall
:30:17. > :30:22.analysis of the game, Michael will be pretty pleased with some of the
:30:22. > :30:28.play, especially in the first half. They looked comfortable on the ball.
:30:28. > :30:30.They created good opportunities without really testing the
:30:31. > :30:35.Norwegian keeper. Once or twice they probably would have felt they
:30:35. > :30:39.should have scored. I think overall the way they kept the ball at times,
:30:39. > :30:42.the movement off the ball, the way the front two interlinked was
:30:42. > :30:48.pretty good and so some positive things to bring out of tonight's
:30:48. > :30:55.game. Ed so Ed so good attacking play in the first half, Ferguson
:30:55. > :30:58.and Shields certainly lit up the park at times. I was impressed with
:30:58. > :31:02.Shields. If one was coming short the other one was stretching the
:31:02. > :31:09.back four in behind and that's good forward play. They caused the back
:31:09. > :31:13.four a few problems. Unfortunately, at the end of it all there was no
:31:13. > :31:15.end product or no killer instinct to put the ball in the back of the
:31:15. > :31:17.net and that's something Michael will probably want to work on the
:31:17. > :31:21.next time he meets up with his players. Northern Ireland should
:31:21. > :31:27.have scored but didn't take their chance and then Norway did. That's
:31:27. > :31:31.the difference. Full stop. You know, Norway didn't really I would say
:31:31. > :31:35.impress early on in the game, but we all know they're a big side and
:31:35. > :31:39.they had three or four set-pieces which in fairness were pretty poor,
:31:39. > :31:44.up until the one that they scored from. It was a good ball in. The
:31:44. > :31:47.goal came from a second phase, which they were more alert to than
:31:47. > :31:52.Northern Ireland defence. The guy pounced on it and it took a
:31:52. > :31:55.deflection into the bottom corner, so credit Norway. But as I say, it
:31:55. > :31:59.came in the 44th minute, so Northern Ireland will be
:31:59. > :32:02.disappointed to give away a goal so late on in the half. In the second
:32:02. > :32:07.half Northern Ireland came out fresh, looked good. Were you
:32:08. > :32:12.impressed? Again, they looked lively up front. Interpassing was
:32:12. > :32:17.very good. Again got into great positions. Especially out wide.
:32:17. > :32:20.They had chances to put good final balls into the six-yard box into
:32:20. > :32:24.the penalty area and that was the only thing that let them down, that
:32:24. > :32:28.final pass and good positions, especially from Davis who is very
:32:28. > :32:33.reliable with his passing. He was chipping balls in to the keeper's
:32:33. > :32:37.hands or he wasn't missing the first man. So, it then became
:32:37. > :32:41.frustrating I feel for Michael and in the end we seen him make a few
:32:41. > :32:45.changes. Obviously this is a results-driven business and in the
:32:45. > :32:50.end giving away two goals Michael will be very disappointed. That's
:32:50. > :32:56.right. I think, especially the third goal, you know, as I have
:32:56. > :33:01.just said, there was a lot of subs subs - substitutions made,
:33:02. > :33:07.sometimes that can be made to the detriment of the the team, to both
:33:07. > :33:15.teams. The game sort of went flat. It got stretched. McCourt Came on,
:33:15. > :33:19.we know how much ability he has, he went wandering a little bit. The
:33:19. > :33:22.game opened up the right side, Northern Ireland's left. In the end,
:33:22. > :33:27.Norway capitalised on that really. I don't think Michael will be too
:33:27. > :33:30.disappointed with the two goals near the end. If he takes the
:33:30. > :33:34.positives he will be thinking they need to be more clinical in front
:33:34. > :33:37.of goal. Is this an early reality check for Michael, just saying to
:33:38. > :33:41.him how difficult this is going to be? I think he's learned a lot
:33:41. > :33:44.about his players tonight. Definitely. He's learned a lot
:33:44. > :33:49.about some of the opposition he is going to come up against in the
:33:49. > :33:52.World Cup qualifiers. At the end of the day, you know, the real
:33:52. > :33:57.business is when the qualifiers come around. You can say what you
:33:57. > :34:01.want about friendlies and tonight was a typical friendly for me, a
:34:01. > :34:03.nothing game where OK sometimes when you play friendlies you play
:34:03. > :34:09.your strongest team and it always has something in it, but today as
:34:09. > :34:12.the game went on the importance of the game sort of just waivered a
:34:12. > :34:15.little because there was that many substitutions being made. I don't
:34:15. > :34:18.think Michael will be too disappointed. Obviously your first
:34:19. > :34:25.game as manager you want a win, a positive result, a positive
:34:25. > :34:28.performance, a positive response from the fans. It didn't happen.
:34:28. > :34:33.The performance was good, lots to work on. One interesting spectator
:34:33. > :34:37.here tonight was the Celtic manager Neil Lennon, back at Windsor Park
:34:37. > :34:42.after ten years, the last time he played Norway here he was booed by
:34:42. > :34:46.his own fans. Glad to see him make the journey back? Absolutely. I had
:34:46. > :34:51.a quick chat with Neil during the game. He is a very close friend of
:34:51. > :34:57.mine. So, great to see him back. Obviously, he had a couple of his
:34:57. > :35:01.players on show tonight. So, he gave his all for Northern Ireland.
:35:01. > :35:05.Obviously he's managing Celtic at the minute, but it's good to see a
:35:05. > :35:09.lot of ex-Northern Ireland players back here tonight, not just him,
:35:09. > :35:12.but especially I suppose Neil after what happened so many years ago.
:35:12. > :35:17.Thank you very much indeed. Neil Lennon taking a seat here at
:35:17. > :35:21.Windsor Park for the first time in ten years. He spoke to Mark.
:35:21. > :35:26.Those days are long gone, it's completely incidental now. I
:35:26. > :35:31.haven't been here at Windsor Park, I have done my coaching badges and
:35:31. > :35:36.been in Belfast the last consecutive years three or four
:35:36. > :35:41.four times and I am on really good courses I learned a lot which has
:35:41. > :35:45.stood me in good staid now. Do you sense this is a place in transition,
:35:45. > :35:49.Windsor Park will be redeveloped t seems football is moving on at a
:35:50. > :35:54.gallop. I think football's moving on at a gallop in all aspects of
:35:55. > :35:59.the game worldwide and Europe, British, and we have to maintain
:35:59. > :36:02.that standard as well. I am pleased that Windsor Park is getting
:36:03. > :36:06.redeveloped, it could do with a lick of paint here and there, if
:36:06. > :36:09.you are going to have international games you want a international
:36:09. > :36:12.class stadium to go with it. suppose the abuse that you have
:36:12. > :36:16.taken has been well documented, set that to one side, as a former
:36:16. > :36:20.Captain of your country, presumably you still keep one eye on the
:36:20. > :36:25.results and now with Michael at the helm, your old mate? Delighted
:36:25. > :36:29.Michael has the job and it's his first game tonight. He had a
:36:29. > :36:33.fantastic time at shamrock Rovers, he has done his bit, probably the
:36:33. > :36:36.job's come a bit sooner than what he expected, but I am sure he will
:36:36. > :36:41.make the most of it and all managers, I mean, I have two
:36:41. > :36:43.players in the squad that will will give him a full backing and wish
:36:43. > :36:53.him every success for the job in hand.
:36:53. > :37:11.
:37:11. > :37:17.There have been other friendly tonight that Northern Ireland's
:37:17. > :37:21.next game, which is against Holland in the Amsterdam Arena, on Saturday
:37:21. > :37:25.2nd June, will be live on BBC Northern Ireland television.