Sanchez offers youngsters hope

Lawrie Sanchez has told Northern Ireland's bright young things to keep knocking on his door.

The current shut-down of the Under-21 team means there is no natural progression to the senior squad.

However, they are due to re-assemble in the Toulon tournament in the summer - and Sanchez also plans to arrange some B games.

He was keen to clarify the situation ahead of his first match in charge after replacing Sammy McIlroy when Northern Ireland entertain Norway in a friendly.

"We will continue to monitor the progress of our young players at their clubs," he said. "It is important they are not over-looked.

"My way of thinking is that if you are good enough for the Under-21 squad then you are not far away.

"It is also my intention to get one or two B games planned so we can bring in some new faces."

Assistant manager Gerry Armstrong added: "The Under-21 team will learn a lot in Toulon in those seven or eight days.

"That's when they will come up against the likes of Italy and Brazil. That can only be good experience for them."

Sanchez has worked round the clock since replacing McIlroy three weeks ago so he can hit the ground running.

One of his key tasks was to get his backroom staff assembled - Armstrong, Terry Gibson and goalkeeper Dave Beasant are now in place on a match-by-match basis.

Team Sanchez is anxious to turn the province's wretched run of results around.

But Armstrong says it could take time for things to take a turn for the better.

"You are trying to cram everything into two or three days," he said. "You don't get long enough with players.

"But it has been fun and I can't wait for the game to get underway now."

McIlroy left to join Stockport at the end of the Euro 2004 qualifiers which saw Northern Ireland finish bottom of their group - and without a goal in 1,242 minutes.

They haven't won in 14 games and tumbled to 124 in the FIFA world rankings behind the likes of Benin and Lesotho. Norway, in comparison, are in 42nd spot.

Windsor Park is expected to host a 10,000-plus crowd for the game - way above the average for a friendly.

The 22-man squad will have a brief run-out this morning after another double training session yesterday at their Belfast base.

Sanchez's side is likely to be full of familiar faces and a familiar figure in Newcastle's Aaron Hughes as captain.

David Healy, who has weighed in with 10 goals for Preston this season, and Glentoran's Andy Smith are likely to be paired in attack.