Rising Liverpool star Conor Bradley relishing new advanced role for Northern Ireland
Liverpool full-back Conor Bradley has detailed the role he loves playing for Northern Ireland under manager Michael O’Neill, as quoted in an interview with the Belfast Telegraph.
The Reds’ youngster, 20, found the net twice in eight first-half minutes to help Northern Ireland claim a 2-0 friendly win over Andorra in Murcia earlier this week. He has continued his fine form after enjoying an eye-catching breakthrough campaign at Liverpool.
Having returned on loan from Bolton Wanderers, Conor Bradley went on to make 23 senior appearances for Liverpool, including 17 starts. He scored once and registered six assists along the way, helping his boyhood club to a third-place finish in the Premier League this past campaign.
Against Andorra, the 20-year-old operated in a more advanced role on the right and was a threat all game long. His brace in the recent international friendly takes his tally to three goals for Northern Ireland, having grabbed a sensational winner against Scotland in March.
Relishing a new advanced role on the right for his national team, Bradley told the Belfast Telegraph: “Michael doesn’t tell me to go wherever I want but to play with freedom and whatever you feel in the game and do what you feel. I love playing like that, picking up little positions inside and positions out wide however the game is going and it is working at the moment.”
While he may be a right-back by trade, Bradley operating from the right flank and scoring two wonderful goals for Northern Ireland against Andorra could open up a new position for him at Liverpool under new manager Arne Slot.
The youngster was given plenty of license by Jurgen Klopp and that resulted in him getting a goal and six assists for our club last season. But as a right-back, the Tyrone-born star also had to fulfil his defensive duties which he struggled doing a bit.
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It remains to be seen how Bradley, who turns 21 in July, will be used next season but Arne Slot should be excited to see the youngster prosper in a new role for the national team.
Having Bradley wreck havoc going forward is also good news for Trent ALexander-Arnold. This should allow Arne Slot to deploy both players in the same lineup. The latter can form the playmaking in the centre while Bradley continues to make a difference pushing forward from right-back.
