DESPITE differing difficulties at club level, two of Northern Ireland's first choice defenders will step up and perform this week, believes boss Ian Baraclough.
Left-back Jamal Lewis has been playing regularly, which is always the hope for a NI manager, but is doing so in a struggling side with Newcastle United, fighting against Premier League relegation.
In contrast, Watford are flying high, on course for an immediate return to the top flight – but centre back Craig Cathcart has not been featuring much for the Hornets recently.
However, Baraclough is optimistic that both can perform well if selected against Italy in the daunting opening World Cup 2022 qualifier in Parma this Thursday night.
Indeed 'Bara' rejected any suggestion that Lewis has been struggling at Newcastle, having switched to Tyneside last summer following Norwich City's own relegation:
"I think he has done well this season and I don't think he can be criticised for not rising to the level - he is at the level, he can play at the Premier League level. I just think he has a big job on his hands playing for a club that are fighting relegation and that can hit anybody, any individual.
"Jamal has certainly had to deal with a lot thrown at him at a young age. He is in a relegation scrap, you can't get away from that. Newcastle is a massive club, there will always be scrutiny, players will be scrutinised - lauded if they are doing well and criticised if not doing so well.
"Certainly the games I've been at watching Jamal live, the last one was against Everton at Goodison Park, I thought Jamal had a very, very good game and I think he now comes into our squad knowing he is valued member.
"For him he can come with a freshness and start the new [qualifying] campaign. He's carrying a bit of a niggle at the moment so if we have to make sure he is right for these games first and foremost."
Baraclough acknowledged that the 32-year-old Cathcart is having to cope with a new situation at Watford:
"Craig is not used to being out of the Watford team so he has had to deal with something different. With Watford doing very well in the Championship he would have hoped to have played more games than he has done.
"Unfortunately he has to play his part coming off the bench or starting the odd game. He's not been used to that for a while."
Yet Baraclough feels that the switch to the international scene, with three games coming up including a home friendly against the USA and another qualifier against Bulgaria in Belfast, can give Cathcart a lift:
"Speaking to Craig, these games will give him a fresh lease of life knowing he can come in, not guaranteed to play, but he has been the cornerstone of our back four or five in recent years and will have a big part to play in these games."
The versatile Paddy McNair could come into contention for a defensive role, having experienced that department again this term with his club Middlesbrough
"He's been playing in the back three for most of the season and then in recent weeks he's been pushed up to midfield. He knows he could have a couple of roles to play with us. Certainly wherever we ask him to play he'll hit a good level."
However, switching roles isn't as simple as it may seen, even for the likes of the adaptable McNair, as Baraclough noted:
"Paddy is one of our fittest players but playing in different positions poses its problems. You have familiarity of playing in a position but suddenly you are asked to go and do something different. It's tough for anybody.
"Paddy has been one of our most consistent performers over the last few years. But even for him it was something that he had to go and deal with.
"It probably hit home to me in October/November when he started playing in a back three for Middlesbrough, then came to us [played in midfield] and he went down with cramp after about 80 minutes and carried on."
With that in mind, and McNair a slight injury concern, midfield may be the slot for him in Parma, with the boss concluding "hopefully he comes through after the knock he picked up the other night."
