Craigan 'excited' by Donley's imminent NI link-up

Stephen Craigan believes the rapid progress of youngsters such as Conor Bradley and Daniel Ballard with Northern Ireland has convinced Jamie Donley to link-up with Michael O'Neill's squad.

Twenty-year-old Tottenham forward Donley, who is impressing during a loan stint at League One Leyton Orient, is set to be added to the Northern Ireland squad for the friendlies against Switzerland and Sweden on Friday and Tuesday.

Donley was born in Antrim and has previously played for Northern Ireland and England at youth level, captaining England Under-19s.

The process for his international transfer from England to Northern Ireland is under way with Fifa, but he can make his debut in these games as they are friendlies.

"I'm quite excited that he wants to come and play for Northern Ireland," former Northern Ireland defender Craigan told BBC Sport NI.

"He's probably had a look at the likes of Conor Bradley, Daniel Ballard, Trai Hume, Callum Marshall, Shea Charles, Isaac Price…..young guys who have started their international career at a very young age and have now started to accumulate a good number of caps."

BBC Sport NI football pundit Craigan says Donley will have noted how playing international football is benefiting the youngsters' careers.

"They are getting good international experience. They are playing first-team football for their clubs and their careers seem to be on an upward trajectory.

"So rather than waiting until his mid-20s to make that decision whether he wants to play for Northern Ireland, he's taken a brave but calculated decision that that's what he wants to do. "

Donley has scored seven goals in 30 games during his loan stint at Leyton Orient, while his stunning long-range effort against Manchester City in the FA Cup led to an own goal.

"We're getting a young talented player who is technically very good," added Craigan.

"He's got a lovely left foot. Everyone will talk about his goal against Manchester City or his assist - whatever way you want to look at - but there's more to him than that. He's not just a one-trick pony."

Craigan doesn't believe Donley will have needed a lot of persuading to switch allegiance to a Northern Ireland side that clinched Nations League promotion in the autumn.

"When the team are winning games and getting a bit of positive publicity and there's momentum building, you probably don't have to do a lot of convincing.

"Anyone you speak to, they talk about the vibrancy around the group and the togetherness. And you when you get so many young players together, there's an excitement and you want to grow together."

And with Ronan Hale also set for his first involvement with Northern Ireland's senior squad after switching allegiance from the Republic of Ireland, Craigan believes there is a feel-good factor around O'Neill's squad at the moment.

"When you watch them training and you watch them playing and you watch them off the pitch, you sense that there is something building, something brewing.

"If you're a young player, you think 'I wouldn't mind being part of that group' and I think that's why the likes of Ronan Hale and Jamie Donley have come in."

While the games over the next week are friendlies, Craigan believes O'Neill and his players can learn a "huge" amount from them.

"We've been in Nations League C. We've played, we've won our group but you want to test yourself against better sides. That's how you learn as a player and as a group and that's how Michael will learn as a manager. He will take an awful lot from these two games."