Baggie Brunt shows international worth

Michael O’Neill admits Northern Ireland missed Chris Brunt during Euro 2016 after the West Brom winger helped them to a 4-0 win over Azerbaijan.

The 31-year-old endured an extended spell on the sidelines with a knee injury, missing the Euros this summer as a result.

But having worked his way back up to fitness, he was back for his country, playing at left-back, and finished the game with one assist and one goal against the Azeris to earn the man of the match award.

It’s not all been plain sailing for Brunt on the international stage, but O’Neill believes he has won over the supporters.

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“He came away with the man of the match award and you saw the reaction he got from the crowd to him being back,” O’Neill said.

“At times maybe Chris has been unfairly criticised for playing for Northern Ireland. But certainly in the last couple of years he has been excellent when we have played him in that position at left-back and I can’t remember a bad game he has had for us.

“I remember coming here when I wasn’t the manager and I thought it was sometimes unfair when people expect an awful lot of the lads who have the highest exposure and they play in the Premier League.

“Sometimes maybe the Northern Ireland team was struggling as a whole and certain players were singled out.

“But we would have been a far stronger team in France (at Euro 2016) had Chris been fit, there is no doubt about that. We would have been a much bigger threat in France had Chris been fit as well.

“He has been captain of his club and he is one of those players who is easy to manage.”