Shea Charles: Man City teenager hungry for more caps after Northern Ireland debut
Last updated on .From the section Irish
Manchester City teenager Shea Charles wants many more Northern Ireland caps after making his international debut against Greece.
The 18-year-old came on in the 79th minute of the 1-0 loss to the Greeks in their opening Nations League match.
Charles, who replaced George Saville in midfield but can also play at centre-back, knows what he is going to do with his shirt from his debut on Thursday.
"I'm going to frame my shirt and put it in my room," he said.
"I hope I can just push on from here and get more caps. It was a great feeling to make my debut.
"Obviously with the loss it is a low, but it is also a big high. The manager just told me to go on and do my thing, really, in a defensive midfield role.
"I've been at Windsor Park before to watch a game but obviously that was my first time playing here and the fans were great.
"I didn't expect to be playing in this game but I will take every chance as it comes."
Manchester-born Charles has played for Northern Ireland at under-19 and under-21 level, and trained with the City first team, though he is yet to make an appearance under Pep Guardiola.
He has enjoyed working closely with internationals such as Spain's Rodri and Brazilian Fernandinho, but is unsure if he will go out on loan next season.
"We will see what happens next year, but we will see how training is going. I will just take each game as it comes," he added.
"When we train with the [City] first team the standard is so high and we are always learning, every day.
"With the likes of Rodri and Fernandinho, it is tough but enjoyable. You learn a lot from the whole team and obviously the coaches as well."
Northern Ireland have three more Nations League matches to play over the next eight days, starting with Sunday's trip to Cyprus, before Kosovo away on Thursday and Cyprus at home on 12 June.
Although disappointed with Thursday night's loss to Greece, Charles is enjoying his first experience of senior international football.
"It has gone well so far. It is always good to look up to Steven Davis and Jonny Evans, on and off the pitch, just how professional they are in and around the hotel," he said.
"We can put that [defeat] behind us now, though obviously we won't forget. We will learn things from the game and put them into our next game.
"We didn't allow them too many chances but we shouldn't have allowed them to score the one chance that they had."
Baraclough praise for 'smooth and unflustered' debut
Charles came off the bench with 11 minutes to go at Windsor Park, but manager Ian Baraclough saw enough to be pleased.
"I don't want to heap massive pressure on the young kid," he said.
"He's been in the under-21s once. He probably wasn't expecting to get his debut when we're chasing the game.
"He didn't look flustered, he didn't look hurried in his decision-making. He's smooth, a lovely player on the ball.
"I think his first experience of it was when he took it on his chest and the guy nipped in and took it away. That was his introduction and it got him livened up. I think he can be pleased with what he's done."
