LIAM Boyce has backed his former Cliftonville team-mate Joe Gormley to keep scoring goals at his new club Peterborough United and harbours dreams of the pair playing at Euro 2016 for Northern Ireland.
Gormley was confirmed a Peterborough player last Sunday night after Cliftonville agreed a fee of around £60,000 with the League One club.
Boyce, who starred in Ross County’s finish to last season, says there’s nothing stopping his former strike partner from being a major hit with Peterborough, and hasn’t ruled out the pair featuring at next summer’s European finals in France should the north clinch qualification.
“For the likes of Joe and me playing for Cliftonville and to have a chance of playing for Northern Ireland in the Euros, if they get there, and to play against multi-million pound players is a joke to even think about it,” smiled Boyce.
The Ross County striker won his fifth senior international cap for Northern Ireland in the recent friendly against Qatar and is close to nailing down a regular slot in Michael O’Neill’s squad.
“I was in the 28 so that’s how close I am,” said Boyce.
“Michael said to me: ‘Just keep doing what you’re doing’. It’s just great to be involved and Joe is in the picture now.
“I see international football as a bonus – everyone wants to play it and it’s a privilege – but you just have to focus on your club football.
“If you’re playing well for your club, international football comes after that.”
Boyce added: “At the end of your career you can say you played at the highest level. Once you’ve played one international game, you’re an international for the rest of your life. Obviously Joe is good enough to do it and I think he will.”
On Gormley’s move to Peterborough, Boyce said: “I know Joe’s very excited and nervous but I don’t think he should be nervous because they are the ones that want him. He needs to realise that – not to be big-headed about it but he deserves to be there and his football will take care of itself.”
