Charles brothers dreaming of sharing international stage

From nan Blanchflower brothers successful nan 1950s, to nan modern time pinch Jonny and Corry Evans, Northern Ireland has a good history erstwhile it comes to siblings donning nan greenish jersey together.

None of those storied familial duos of nan past, however, grew up pinch a fresh made punishment shootout successful their backmost garden.

Midfielder Shea Charles already has 16 caps to his sanction for Michael O'Neill's broadside and this period has been joined successful nan squad by his 18-year-old younger relative Pierce, a goalkeeper pinch Sheffield Wednesday.

Surely pinch nan brace playing specified different positions, it was cleanable believe increasing up?

"You opportunity that, but erstwhile we were young he played outfield," laughs Shea, 20, whose Southampton broadside were promoted to nan Premier League via nan play-offs this season.

"When we were younger, we'd each beryllium retired successful nan garden, america 2 and our older brother. Eventually he had to beryllium nan 1 to spell successful nets."

Those early days playing outfield person evidently served nan youngest Charles relative well.

A goalkeeper wholly comfortable connected nan ball, Northern Ireland head Michael O'Neill has praised his all-round ability.

"Pierce is 1 of those goalkeepers that everyone is looking for successful nan modern game," he said.

"He's sewage awesome distribution, existent composure pinch nan shot astatine his feet and we cognize astatine Sheffield Wednesday they really respect him highly."

Like Jeff and Jim Whitley, who won a mixed 23 Northern Ireland caps betwixt 1997 and 2005, Shea and Pierce were some products of nan Manchester City younker system.

The second feels nan club's insistence that keepers are comfortable pinch nan shot astatine their feet has helped him create a rounded skillset.

"With being astatine City erstwhile I was younger, they wanted you to beryllium bully pinch your feet and I suppose that conscionable carried connected and brought it connected successful my crippled today."

On nan acquisition of coming done nan ranks astatine Etihad Stadium, he adds: "It was very valuable.

"The alteration for maine to spell to Sheffield Wednesday astatine nan clip was perfect. I deliberation that's what I needed, a alteration of scenery, a alteration [in position of] really nan crippled is played. I deliberation it's worked retired perfectly."

Pierce made his Sheffield Wednesday debut against Coventry City successful an FA Cup 4th information replay during February. There is dream a Northern Ireland front will soon travel suit, possibly moreover arsenic soon arsenic Tuesday's friends against Andorra successful Murcia pinch chap keeper Conor Hazard providing O'Neill his only wounded doubt.

On having his relative successful nan squad, Shea, who made his ain world debut successful June 2022, says: "It's been good.

"I dream I've taken him nether my helping nicely, but each nan lads person welcomed him in.

"He's only 18. It seems for illustration nan lads emotion him and he's been going awesome successful training."

For Pierce, who had antecedently trained pinch nan elder squad anterior to Nations League games successful 2022, it has been "a dream" to beryllium afloat included successful nan sheet pinch his brother.

"When I first sewage nan call-up it was for illustration a dream pinch Shea successful nan aforesaid squad," he says.

"To play shot astir nan lads, who person welcomed we well, it's been unbelievable.

"It's conscionable exciting. It conscionable keeps maine motivated for nan adjacent measurement successful my career."

Should that travel pinch an world debut soon, it would mean moreover much for Pierce to make nan measurement pinch his relative successful nan aforesaid squad alongside him.

"That's nan dream, to play alongside personification arsenic bully arsenic this man here," he says.

"Hopefully it's nan adjacent measurement to come."

During Shea's clip successful nan Northern Ireland squad, he has seen nan longevity enjoyed by nan Evans brothers, who played together for a 50th clip astatine world level successful nan 5-1 conclusion by Spain connected Saturday erstwhile Corry was introduced arsenic a substitute successful nan 2nd half.

"It's a agelong measurement distant but it's thing to look up to," adds Shea.

"We evidently played together erstwhile we were younger but I can't hold until he makes his debut pinch me.

"The full family will beryllium very proud, particularly my mum origin she's from Northern Ireland. They'd beryllium very happy."