Evans 'can't wait to get amongst' NI's young squad

After just one international cap in two years, Northern Ireland's Corry Evans jokes there are some team-mates he has yet to meet.

The 33-year-old recently returned from 15 months on the sidelines after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament last January and has been named in Michael O'Neill's squad for friendlies against Spain on Saturday and Andorra three days later.

During the former Blackburn Rovers and Hull City man's absence, he has largely missed the international emergence of players like Conor Bradley, Shea Charles, Isaac Price and Trai Hume.

"I have really enjoyed watching them from afar," said Evans, presently without a club after his release by Sunderland.

"I can't wait to get amongst them now. It is going to flip now where I am one of the oldest in the squad, but I was once their age and once learning off the older players.

"I now have to pass on my experience and knowledge to the younger lads, from my club and international career, and hopefully it helps them."

Having once been shown the ropes by players like David Healy, Stephen Craigan and Gareth McAuley, Evans is looking forward to the role reversal.

Still shy of his 19th birthday when he made his international debut against Italy under Nigel Worthington in 2009, now he, his older brother Jonny, and striker Josh Magennis are the only three players in O'Neill's 26-man panel over the age of 30.

"The likes of David Healy, Stephen Craigan, and the other experienced ones, I had them to look up to," said Evans.

"When we qualified for the Euros in 2016, we had a young nucleus of a squad then and we grew together. But we were guided by senior players like Gareth McAuley and Chris Brunt.

"We had a good mix of youth and experience. Hopefully I can help the younger lads now, along with the experience of Jonny (Evans), Josh (Magennis) and others."

A key player during O'Neill's first spell in charge, this will be Evans' first international outing since the former Stoke boss's return.

With Northern Ireland having struggled for results in the early going of this second stint under their former midfielder, winning only against San Marino across O'Neill's first nine games, the side are now unbeaten in three, all against opponents who qualified for this summer's Euros.

After wins against Denmark and Scotland, with a draw against Romania sandwiched in between, Evans can see similarities with how O'Neill's first time in the post.

"When Michael first took over in his first spell, there was a period when we didn't win for a lot of games. It was a new team, he was trying to get a squad together that could grow and compete.

"Look what we did, we qualified for a major finals in the Euros and we got to a World Cup play-off two years later.

"I think it's probably a similar sort of experience now that he's going through. He's got a new sort of squad together and they have to grow and learn together.

"The last couple of games have shown glimpses of that and what could potentially be in the squad."

With an extended training camp in Murcia leading into the games against Spain and Andorra, Evans believes fostering a bond within the squad is a vital part of any successful international side.

"When you've qualified for finals, that doesn't just happen," he added.

"You have to have a good squad and a good team spirit.

"That's been massive for us. Every time you went away on trips, it was good fun, everyone wanted to be around each other. That's key.

"Sometimes you hear about other nations going away on these camps and they hate every minute of it, nobody interacts. We've always had a good way of involving everyone. It's definitely helped us in our success in the past."