Chloe McCarron: Why the Glentoran midfielder could hold the key for Northern Ireland against Montenegro

Whilst the Gold Cup has been the talk of the town as far as the international game is concerned, there are other matches going on over the weekend that deserve just as much attention, and the Nations League play-off matches taking place hold just as much importance as teams up and down Europe battle to secure the best possible positions ahead of the Euro 2025 qualifying campaign.

Northern Ireland are one of those who will be taking part in those play-offs, with them facing Group C3 runners-up Montenegro across two legs (one on Friday lunchtime and one on Tuesday evening) after finishing third in their own Tier B group, behind the Republic of Ireland and Hungary and ahead of Albania.

One player who could be crucial to their hopes of avoiding relegation is Glentoran midfielder Chloe McCarron, and there are a number of reasons that she could prove to be critical in Northern Ireland either remaining where they are or making the drop down to Tier C.

Northern Ireland’s tactics

Before breaking down what she could offer to the team though, it is important first to gain an understanding of what Northern Ireland’s style of play is, with it clear that they have been making changes since Tanya Oxtoby took over as their new head coach in September.